The Independent Football Ombudsman (the IFO) is appointed by the Football Association, the Football League and the Premier League (hereafter, the football authorities), in consultation with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The IFO provides independent external scrutiny of complaints within a transparent, accountable and effective system of self-regulation by the football authorities. This includes commitment to the Customer Charter process, and recourse to PL, FL and FA Rules where necessary.

The football authorities are committed to providing robust and open complaints procedures, widely publicised, taken seriously by the Clubs, reinforced by the PL, FL and the FA and subject to external appeal. The IFO will also provide an external and independent voice in discussions within football on issues which affect the public.

2. The Independent Football Ombudsman's Terms of Reference

(i) The IFO acts as the final appeal stage within football's complaints procedures and its adjudications will be published. The football authorities agree that these adjudications should be final. If, in exceptional cases, there is a failure to agree the football authorities will publish their reasons and their proposed alternative resolution of the issue.

(ii) The IFO will have regard to best practice in commercial matters within professional football, particularly with regard to customer service. The IFO will be consulted and will advise on:-

• Codes of Best Practice relating to supporters and customers in general, and customer charters issued by each of the football authorities, and by individual clubs;

• the football authorities' operation of the complaints resolution hierarchy based on the Codes of Best Practice, with the Independent Football Ombudsman as the final step in that hierarchy; and

• the football authorities' procedures for review and monitoring of commercial and customer matters

In this, the IFO is to have particular regard to:-

• Ticket prices

• Accessibility of matches

• Merchandise; and

• Supporter and other stakeholder involvement.

(iii) Where complaints resolution indicates wider action is appropriate, to recommend changes to Codes of Best Practice and Customer Charters, to request review of the rules and regulations of the football authorities relating to commercial and customer-related matters and to request research or other investigation into policy relating to those matters.

(iv) The IFO will be consulted by the football authorities on proposed programmes of research into supporter and customer matters.

(v) The IFO will be consulted by the football authorities on significant changes to regulation or practice in the areas of supporter and customer relations.

(vi) The football authorities will publish at least annually their responses to the work of the Ombudsman. The IFO will be consulted on those responses prior to publication. The work of the ombudsman will be reported in Club, League and FA annual reports as applicable and any public policy implications will be reported to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport by the football authorities at the existing established and regular meetings between football and the Department.

3. The Constitution of the IFO

The office of the IFO will consist of the Ombudsman and a Deputy. An Advisory Panel will be appointed by the IFO so that, according to the requirement for particular expertise, a Panel member can sit with the IFO and/or Deputy IFO to advise on complaint adjudication or on issues arising from complaint investigations.

4. Appointments

The Ombudsman will be appointed in consultation between the football authorities and with Government. In the first instance Prof Derek Fraser is the appointed Ombudsman, with Alan Watson appointed Deputy.