EFL

What EFL does

The English Football League (EFL) is the governing body for 72 professional football clubs across the Championship, League One, and League Two in England and Wales, founded in 1888 as the world's original league football competition. EFL administers the three divisional league competitions, cup competitions including the Carabao Cup (title sponsored by Carabao) and the EFL Trophy, and the Sky Bet Play-Offs determining promotion and relegation outcomes, while also exercising regulatory authority over member clubs through financial fair play (profit and sustainability rules), owners' and directors' tests, and disciplinary commissions.

EFL's revenue model is anchored in centralised commercialisation of broadcast rights and sponsorships, which are then redistributed to member clubs. The cornerstone is a £935 million broadcast deal with Sky Sports, complemented by the 2024/25 launch of the Sky Sports+ service for comprehensive multi-division coverage. Sponsorship revenue is diversified across Sky Bet (title sponsor of all three divisions and the Play-Offs), Carabao (Carabao Cup title sponsor, extended to 2029), Kellogg's, and Utilita. Distribution is multi-channel: Sky Sports broadcast, iFollow domestic and international streaming, and a network of international broadcast partners.

Beyond core competition administration, EFL operates a portfolio of digital products (Fantasy EFL, EFL Unfiltered podcast, newsletters), community and youth programmes (EFL in the Community, Kellogg's Football Camps, Utilita Kids & Girls Cup, CEFA educational programme), and the EFL Innovation Lab accelerator run with L Marks to incubate startup solutions for fan engagement, data insights, and operational excellence across the 72-club network. The organisation is privately structured and led by Chief Executive Trevor Birch and Chair Rick Parry, with governance oversight from club representatives and independent non-executive directors.

Name

EFL

Legal name

The English Football League

Website

https://efl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The EFL (English Football League) is the private governing body for 72 professional football clubs in England and Wales, administering the Championship, League One, League Two, the Carabao Cup, and the EFL Trophy. It generates revenue centrally through a £935 million Sky Sports broadcast deal, Sky Bet and Carabao title sponsorships, and iFollow streaming, then redistributes to member clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Football League Governance

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional Sport Governing Bodies & League Sanctioning Authorities (MPAKAFAE), National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

Keywords

• Professional football league
• Sports broadcasting rights
• Football competition administration
• Club governance regulation
• Sports sponsorship deals

Headquarters

HQ city

Preston

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The English Football League (EFL) is the governing body that administers and regulates professional football competitions in England and Wales, overseeing three professional leagues (Championship, League One, League Two) covering 72 member clubs, along with cup competitions (Carabao Cup, EFL Trophy) and play-off tournaments. It manages broadcasting rights distribution, club financial regulation, governance oversight, and community programs across its member clubs.

Product overview

EFL (English Football League) operates as a governing body administering professional football in England. The organization manages a portfolio of competitions including the three-tier league system (Championship, League One, League Two), cup competitions (Carabao Cup, EFL Trophy), and play-off tournaments. Beyond core competitions, EFL offers digital products such as Fantasy EFL and streaming services, community programs through EFL in the Community, and innovation initiatives via the EFL Innovation Lab. The portfolio includes media content (EFL Unfiltered podcast), youth development programs (Kellogg's Football Camps, Utilita Kids & Girls Cup), and educational programmes (CEFA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EFL Championship
• EFL League One The third tier of English football, sitting between the Championship and League Two.
• EFL League Two The fourth tier of English football, the lowest division within the EFL structure.
• Carabao Cup The English Football League Cup, contested by all 72 EFL clubs, with Premier League clubs also participating in early rounds.
• EFL Trophy Knockout competition for clubs in League One and League Two, also featuring invited teams from Premier League and Championship youth sides.
• Sky Bet Play-Offs Play-off tournaments across Championship, League One, and League Two to determine promotion spots to higher divisions.
• iFollow Streaming Service

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• CarabaoflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2029Thai beverage brand Carabao is the title sponsor of the Carabao Cup (EFL Cup). The partnership was extended until 2029, marking 12 consecutive seasons as title sponsor—the longest in the competition's history. The agreement includes launching Carabao Lager across UK football grounds and extends football development initiatives in Thailand, Vietnam, and China.
• L MarkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025L Marks is the EFL's partner for the Innovation Lab program, which supports startups developing solutions for fan engagement, data insights, and operational excellence across the league's 72 clubs.
• Sky BetflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSky Bet is the title sponsor for the EFL Championship, Sky Bet Play-Offs, and League One/League Two competitions. The partnership provides primary sponsorship across all three professional divisions of the EFL.
• Kellogg'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKellogg's sponsors the Football Camps program, providing youth football development opportunities through Kellogg's Football Camps across EFL communities.
• UtilitacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUtilita sponsors the Utilita Kids & Girls Cup, a youth football competition for schools and youth teams associated with EFL clubs.
• CEFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCEFA (likely Charitable EFL Foundation Association) is a competition partner focused on youth development and charitable activities within the EFL community programs.
• If U Care Share FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuicide prevention charity that delivers mental health workshops to young footballers at EFL clubs including Leyton Orient and Cambridge United through League Football Education.
• Sky SportsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary UK broadcast partner with £935 million deal. Sky Sports+ service launched for 2024/25 season providing comprehensive EFL coverage across all divisions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• UEFA: UEFA is the governing body of European football, sanctioning the competitions (Champions League, Europa League) in which EFL clubs participate. It is a structural counterparty and rule-setter rather than a competitor, but materially shapes the EFL's competitive landscape and broadcast economics.

Direct peers

• Lega Serie A: Serie A's governing body administers Italy's top professional football divisions through a single organizing entity similar to the EFL. Comparable in structure: centralized media rights sales, title sponsorship model, and international broadcast distribution.
• La Liga: La Liga organizes Spain's top two professional football divisions under a single governing body structure closely analogous to the EFL. Both sell centralized broadcast rights, operate title sponsor partnerships, and manage promotion/relegation between their divisions.
• Ligue 1 (LFP): The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) operates France's top two professional football divisions under a structure analogous to the EFL. Both manage centralized broadcast rights sales and commercial partnerships for member clubs in a comparable European football market.
• Premier League: The Premier League is the top tier of English football and the EFL's most direct peer, sharing the same English football pyramid with promotion and relegation between the two organizations. Both administer professional league competitions, sell broadcast rights, and engage in sponsorship partnerships targeting overlapping fan and commercial audiences.
• Bundesliga (DFL): The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) operates the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga under a centralized governance model directly comparable to the EFL's three-division structure. Both entities monetize collective broadcast rights and compete for international audience attention in second-tier European football.
• Eredivisie: The Eredivisie operates the top professional football division in the Netherlands through a centralized governing body analogous to the EFL. Comparable in operating model: member club representation, collective commercial rights, and broadcast partnership structures.
• Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL): The SPFL operates a comparable multi-division league structure across Scottish professional football, performing the same governing and competition-organization function within Scotland. Both are second-tier-of-their-nation football bodies with broadcast rights, title sponsorships, and cup competitions.

Emerging players

• Major League Soccer (MLS): MLS is a North American professional soccer league that competes for international football audience and sponsorship dollars against the EFL. While operating in a different geography and stage of maturity, MLS targets similar fan engagement, broadcast, and commercial partnership opportunities globally.

Broad incumbents

• Football Association (FA): The FA is the broader national governing body overseeing all English football, including the EFL and Premier League. While not a direct competitor, it shares governance, regulatory, and competition-organization responsibilities with the EFL within the same football ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/efl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCmo_NIuQR5eU4AvBa6sEQQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/theefl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/english-football-league
• Instagraminstagram.com/efl
• TikToktiktok.com/@efl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EFL