The Premier League has allied with La Liga, the Bundesliga, and Serie A to call for significant reforms in FIFA's governance, citing concerns over President Gianni Infantino's promotion of "exploitative ideas." In a joint statement, these leagues expressed their belief that FIFA's continuous expansion impacts the global football community, asserting that reform is essential for transparency, objectivity, and inclusivity within the organization.
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This announcement follows Infantino's suggestion for an external review of FIFA's operations in light of backlash regarding his proposed sale of a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The leagues highlighted that the conditions which led to the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme still exist, despite its eventual withdrawal due to stakeholder pressure.
They emphasized the need for fundamental governance reform to establish clear boundaries within FIFA, ensuring that disciplinary matters are free from political interference. This was highlighted by the incident involving U.S. forward Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was canceled after intervention from then-President Donald Trump.
The statement underlined that the governance issues are not limited to Infantino but involve the broader concentration of power within FIFA's leadership, lacking sufficient accountability and stakeholder engagement. The leagues urged FIFA to create a permanent body representing key stakeholders in decision-making, implement evidence-based proposals subject to independent evaluation, and separate FIFA's regulatory and commercial roles through institutional safeguards.
Previously, Europe's top leagues and players' union Fifpro filed a legal complaint against FIFA over its dominance in the international fixture calendar and inadequate consultation. FIFA refuted these claims, alleging hypocrisy among the leagues. The leagues argued that FIFA's governance structure enables the advancement of its own commercial objectives without considering national competitions' economic and social sustainability.
Infantino remains committed to standing for re-election in March, despite calls from three confederations for his resignation. The four leagues have expressed their desire for candidates to support their governance proposals, emphasizing the critical role that leagues play in deciding FIFA's leadership and operational direction. The joint letter was endorsed by key executives from each league.