Majority of Britons oppose public funding for struggling sports clubs, Ipsos survey finds

A recent survey conducted by Ipsos in the UK reveals public opinion on the financial management and support of professional sports clubs, with a majority against the use of public funds to support clubs facing administration.

Public funds for sports clubs

• Around two-thirds of Britons oppose the use of public funds to support professional football (67%) and rugby clubs (66%) on the brink of administration. Conversely, around a quarter support public funding for football clubs (24%) and rugby clubs (23%) under financial duress.
  • Support decreases significantly with age, with 33% of those aged 18-34 supporting governmental aid for football, compared to 25% of those aged 35-54 and only 16% of those aged 55-75.
  • Football fans (34%) and rugby fans (30%) are notably more supportive of public funds being used to support clubs than non-fans.

Club ownership and sustainability:

• Half of Britons (51%) agree that professional sports clubs contribute to local communities by generating jobs and attracting tourism, so should be financially protected. The same proportion (50%) also agree that professional sports clubs contribute to local communities as they create a sense of identity, so should be financially protected.
• However, the majority also agree that ownership rules for professional football clubs (81%) and professional rugby clubs (76%) need to be more effective to ensure that clubs are run in a financially sustainable way. Fans of each sport are more likely to agree than non-fans:
  • 85% of football fans agree that ownership rules for professional football clubs need to be more effective to ensure that clubs are run in a financially sustainable way, compared to 77% among non-football fans.
  • 86% of rugby fans agree that ownership rules for professional rugby clubs need to be more effective to ensure that clubs are run in a financially sustainable way, compared to 73% among non-rugby fans.
• Almost half (47%) of Britons disagree that irrespective of the owner's wealth, professional sports clubs should receive equal financial aid from the government if they encounter financial difficulties – with almost 3 in 10 (28%) agreeing with this statement.

Crisis and financial aid: 

• The British public is more likely to say that they are in favour of using public funds to support professional sports clubs facing financial difficulties in the event of a major global crisis (35%), such as a pandemic, affecting the clubs' financial situation; in comparison to other external factors (20%), such as a recession or reduction in broadcasting revenues.

Accountability

• Most Britons hold club owners/shareholders (76%) and executives (74%) accountable for clubs' financial troubles. This is followed by regulatory bodies (34%), corporate sponsors/partners (21%), Government (12%), the team manager (10%), the players (5%), the coaching staff (4%), and the fans (2%).

Speaking about the results, Ipsos Research Director Peter Cooper said: 

Our latest polling shows that while there's a clear resistance to using public funds for financially troubled clubs, particularly from older demographics, there's also recognition of the community value these clubs provide. This points to a need for more effective ownership rules, with the public holding owners and executives primarily accountable for financial mismanagement. The data suggests that the public might support government intervention in exceptional circumstances such as global crises but underlines a demand for more sustainable financial practices in sports management.

Technical note: 

• Ipsos interviewed 1,000 online adults aged 18-75 across Great Britain from the 17th-19th December 2025.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of errors.