European Leagues Demand Fifa Overhaul Amid Governance Concerns

The Premier League has joined forces with Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga, and Italy's Serie A to demand "fundamental" reforms in the governance of world football's governing body, Fifa.

In a joint statement, the four major European leagues accused Fifa president Gianni Infantino of having "actively promoted exploitative ideas" and expressed concern that "Fifa's relentless expansionism affects everyone." They are calling for the organization to become "transparent, objective, proportionate and inclusive," warning that "our sport cannot grow globally if its foundations are undermined."

This collective action follows Fifa president Infantino's recent proposal for an external review of Fifa's operations, which came amidst controversy over a now-abandoned plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. The leagues pointed to this plan as "one of the biggest abuses of power in Fifa's history," stating that while the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme was withdrawn, the underlying governance issues persist.

"The Fifa president has now acknowledged the need for reform, but it is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE – fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within Fifa, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference," the statement read. The leagues cited the canceled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup, following a call from then-US President Donald Trump to Infantino, as an example of such political interference.

According to the leagues, Fifa's governance problems extend beyond a single individual. They question the concentration of regulatory, commercial, and political power in the hands of the Fifa president without sufficient checks and balances, particularly when affected stakeholders are relegated to an advisory role.

The leagues have outlined specific reforms they seek from Fifa:

• Establishment of a permanent body representing key stakeholders, including leagues, clubs, and players from both men's and women's football, to ensure a "meaningful role in [its] decision-making process."
• Ensuring "evidence-based decision-making," with major proposals undergoing independent assessments of their impact on all stakeholders.
• Creating a clear separation between Fifa's regulatory and commercial functions through "robust institutional safeguards" and "genuinely independent" ethics, financial oversight, and electoral bodies.

This is not the first time Europe's top leagues have challenged Fifa's governance. Two years ago, they, along with players' union Fifpro, filed a legal complaint with the European Commission concerning an alleged "abuse of dominance" by Fifa related to the expansion of the international fixture calendar and a perceived lack of consultation. Fifa denied these claims at the time.

The leagues assert that their legal action was a result of a flawed governance framework that allowed Fifa to advance its commercial objectives without accountability for the impact on national competitions. They argue that "this must change now for the sake of football."

Despite calls for his resignation from three confederations, Infantino intends to stand for re-election in March. The leagues emphasized the importance of the upcoming leadership decision, stating, "Now is the moment to decide not only who will lead Fifa, but also how Fifa should be led. Leagues have a crucial role to play in this process, and we want to ensure that the voice of every league is heard."

The statement was signed by Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League; Marc Lenz, CEO of the Bundesliga; Javier Tebas, president of La Liga; and Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Serie A. Last month, Masters had described Infantino's handling of the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan as a "self-inflicted wound."