Football Association chairman Greg Clarke insists his organisation remains committed to reform despite being hit with a vote of no confidence from Parliament.
The FA has faced repeated criticism its board is failing to reflect and represent the diversity of the game and its governance was debated by MPs on Thursday, culminating in the embarassing vote.
The motion is not binding but increases pressure on the governing body. The FA risks losing the majority of a £30million grant for 2013-17 if plans for reform, due to be submitted by the end of March, are not approved by sports minister Tracey Crouch.
Crouch warned the FA against playing "Russian roulette" with public money while Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee chairman Damian Collins said the organisation was now in "Fergie time" in terms of needing to change.
Clarke said: "I watched the debate and respect the opinions of the MPs.
"As previously stated we remain committed to reforming governance at the FA to the agreed timescale of the minister."
The motion was passed unopposed, although Crouch acknowledged it was "six weeks premature" given the end of March deadline for submitting reform proposals. The debate was attended by fewer than 30 MPs.
But Crouch said: "It's up to the FA if they wish to play Russian roulette with public money.
"I think it's fair to say, given the debate we've had and the number of representations I and other members have received, that they will lose.
"The FA's current model does not, in my opinion, and clearly that of other colleagues, stand up to scrutiny. Reform is therefore required."
Collins suggested change could be forced upon the FA if its proposals are not satisfactory.
He said: "The FA, to use a football analogy, they are not only in extra time, they're at the end of extra time.
"They're in Fergie time and they're 1-0 down, and if they don't pick up very quickly, if they don't reform, then reform will be delivered to them if they don't reform themselves."
Crouch also hit back at comments from Barry Taylor, a life vice-president of the FA, who said the governing body was now rich enough to stand alone and should resist wholesale change.
She said governments had given the FA millions of pounds for the new Wembley Stadium and St George's Park, as well as further funding through various different schemes.
"So while Mr Taylor and others might not see the threat of removing public money as a serious one, they should just reflect that it is not just about the millions of pounds they get from Sport England, but all the other financial aspects as well," she said.
Source: PA
