Former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been awarded a CBE in the United Kingdom’s New Year Honours list.
Levy, who ran Tottenham from 2001 until his departure in September this year, has been given the honour for “services to charity and the community in Tottenham”. Levy said in a statement that he was “humbled” to receive the CBE and praised the “extraordinary efforts” of the people he worked with “to make a genuine difference in north London”.
The CBE stands for Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and is bestowed on individuals to recognise their contributions to public life in the UK. The CBE is a higher rank than OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) and MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), and is the most prestigious civilian honour, short of a full knighthood or damehood.
Levy’s honour is primarily a recognition of the work that was done during his Tottenham tenure for the local community. The club set up the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation — their official charitable body — in 2006, which has led their community outreach work over the past 20 years. And in April 2019 they opened the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which has now been their home for almost seven years, as well as hosting NFL, major concerts and boxing, bringing jobs and economic activity to the area.
When Levy issued a statement on his recognition, he thanked everyone he had worked with towards trying to transform the local area. “The positive change we were able to achieve would not have been possible without the passion, dedication and hard work of so many people at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, together with our community partners, who shared a belief in the power of sport to transform lives,” his statement said.
“Tottenham Hotspur has always been more than a football club to me. It is part of the fabric of the local community, and I am immensely proud of the role we have played in helping to regenerate the area through our initiatives in education, employment, health and social inclusion. While our stadium development and on-pitch results often took the headlines, I hope that my legacy will be the positive and lasting impact we have made on the lives of people in Tottenham and beyond. Football clubs have a unique role to play in their local community and at Tottenham Hotspur we always took this responsibility very seriously.”
The news was met with tributes to Levy’s work by people who had worked with him. Tracey Crouch was a government minister for sport from 2015 to 2018 and is a lifelong Spurs fan. “He may have been much maligned by many but he deserves his honour for the way in which, over a number of years, he realised his vision, working hard to transform the club, building the new stadium and significantly improving the local area,” Crouch told The Athletic.
Tottenham’s work in the local community has also included being the business sponsor of London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (LAET), an academically selective sixth form that prioritises local students. In 2025, more than two thirds of LAET students earned places at Russell Group universities, with 24 earning places at Oxford and Cambridge universities.
“Daniel’s vision for the Tottenham community has given thousands of young people life-changing opportunities via education at London Academy of Excellence Tottenham,” LAET headteacher Jan Balon told The Athletic. “He has shown the power of a Premier League which is rooted in its community and everyone at LAET is delighted about this well-deserved recognition.”
Tottenham have also partnered with Sarabande, an art foundation set up by designer Alexander McQueen, which has a base in Tottenham. “Daniel has always had a vision for Tottenham, and a huge pride in the area,” Sarabande CEO Trino Verkade told The Athletic. “I can’t pretend to know about football but what I can certainly vouch for is his unwavering commitment to the local community and support for the next generation.”
Levy’s 24 years running Tottenham ended in September of this year, when he was dismissed by the majority shareholding Lewis family. His tenure saw them win one League Cup in 2008 and the Europa League in 2025, but they also built some of the best infrastructure in the country with their new training ground and stadium.
His last few years at the club were marked by increasing fan discord and managerial churn, with Ange Postecoglou sacked just weeks after that Europa League success against Manchester United in Bilbao.
“Despite dividing opinion, we can’t underestimate how Daniel Levy transformed Tottenham Hotspur and our place in the game, from being consistently mid-table to being frustrated if we’re not competing for the top four,” Proud Lilywhites founder and co-chair Chris Paouros told The Athletic.
“The stadium is world-class and sets a benchmark across Europe and Spurs are now part of the conversation at the top end of English and European football. Alongside that, his support for inclusion has been consistent and tangible, including backing Proud Lilywhites in 2014, at a time when that support was far from straightforward. That combination of ambition, leadership and values is a significant legacy, and one that will be understood more clearly over time.”