THE MAN selected by the government to lead football’s new independent regulator will face scrutiny from MPs this morning.

David Kogan was announced as Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s preferred candidate to chair the watchdog on April 25 and he will now appear before the culture, media and sport (CMS) select committee for a pre-appointment hearing.

Kogan has advised the Premier League, the EFL and other leagues on broadcast rights deals in a 45-year career as a media executive, business leader and corporate adviser.

At the time of Kogan’s selection, CMS committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage said she and her fellow MPs welcomed the chance “to establish whether he has the required independence and experience in regulation to carry out this crucial new role.”

She added: “The performance of the regulator and its chair will be highly scrutinised by everyone with an interest in football, so it’s important that the government continues to show its commitment to setting up a truly independent regulator that has the powers to make a real difference to the health of our national game.”

The regulator’s main remit will be to operate a licensing system for clubs in the top five tiers of the English game, focusing primarily on their financial sustainability and how accountable they are to their fans.

The legislation which will give the regulator statutory backing, the Football Governance Bill, is progressing through Parliament.

The regulator is set to be handed “backstop” powers to impose an agreement on the split of television cash between the Premier League and the EFL if they cannot agree on one themselves, possibly including consideration of parachute payments given to clubs relegated from the top flight.

Talks over a new deal have effectively been on hold for more than a year.

A fan-led review of football was promised in the Conservatives’ 2019 election manifesto, months after Bury’s collapse.

The subsequent Conservative government commissioned a review chaired by former sports minister Tracey Crouch in 2021 in the aftermath of the Super League scandal.

The creation of an independent regulator was the key recommendation of that review, and the Labour government has continued the work to make it a reality following its general election landslide last summer.

The Premier League is keen for the regulator to remain light touch, amid concerns over-regulation could damage the competition’s growth and deter investment.

The EFL is supportive of the regulator, and believes the “State of the Game” review it is expected to undertake early on can be crucial in rebalancing football’s finances, which it feels must be addressed.

Kogan is a Labour Party donor, which has led to accusations that cronyism played a part in his appointment.

Nandy rejected those claims during the Football Governance Bill’s second reading on April 28, and pointed out the previous Conservative government had also targeted Kogan for the role prior to last summer’s general election.