The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga have joined forces to call for urgent governance reform at Fifa, criticising the organisation's leadership and demanding fundamental changes. In a strongly worded statement, the four leagues said Fifa's governance is "not fit for purpose" and accused president Gianni Infantino of promoting "exploitative ideas" that threaten the foundations of the global game.
Leagues Condemn Infantino's Leadership
The statement comes as Infantino prepares to seek a fourth term as president, and follows the withdrawal of the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme after stakeholder pressure. The leagues said that while Infantino has acknowledged the need for reform, "surface-level, process changes" are insufficient, and fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within Fifa.
The leagues also referenced the Folarin Balogun affair, calling for more checks and balances to ensure that "individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference". This follows the Guardian's revelation that several Fifa council members had rejected Infantino's proposal for an external governance review.
Three Key Governance Demands
In addition to condemning Infantino, the leagues called for three governance changes to be endorsed by the next president: the creation of a permanent decision-making body within Fifa including representatives of national associations, leagues, clubs and players; a commitment to publish the reasoning behind major decisions in advance; and the separation of Fifa's regulatory functions from its commercial operations.
The statement said: "A Fifa governance that concentrates unchecked regulatory, commercial and political power in a single office, while relegating affected stakeholders to mere advisory status, is not fit for purpose."
Pressure Ahead of Presidential Election
The leagues also encouraged candidates for the Fifa presidency to endorse these principles and, within the first 100 days of the next mandate, convene an independently chaired governance convention mandated to report publicly within six months. They called on all candidates to publish their own reform programmes and ensure Fifa's resources remain neutral during the election process.
The deadline for presidential candidates to declare their intention to stand is 18 November, with the election in March. Infantino is the only declaration to date, and the Guardian has reported growing concerns within European football that he may be re-elected unopposed.
