English, Spanish, Italian, German football leagues call for Fifa reform

The English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga have collectively called for reforms in the structure of FIFA. The sport's governing body has been facing significant turmoil following the shelved plan to establish a commercial entity, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), open to private investors.

In a statement sent to AFP, the four leagues emphasized the necessity of fundamental governance reform to establish clear constitutional boundaries within FIFA, ensuring that individual disciplinary matters are safeguarded against political interference. They stressed that their collective action is motivated by an understanding of FIFA's expansionist tendencies and their impact on all stakeholders.

The statement follows FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to consult with national federations for governance reform, which he now acknowledges is essential, though not sufficient, in addressing the crisis. The four leagues highlighted that the project is one of the gravest abuses of power in FIFA's history and proposed the formation of a permanent body representing national associations, leagues, clubs, and players from both men's and women's football.

This body would be fully informed about new initiatives and play a pivotal role in FIFA's decision-making process. Any major FIFA proposal must commence with a clearly defined rationale, substantiated evidence, and an independent assessment published in advance, covering players, clubs, leagues, and supporters, evaluating the impact on all stakeholders and the development of football.

Additionally, the leagues urged for the protection of FIFA's role as regulator and guardian of the game from commercial activities. They submitted a call for candidates for the FIFA presidency who will endorse their principles within the first 100 days of the next presidential mandate, with Infantino being the sole candidate for the election scheduled for March 18, 2027.

UEFA, along with CONCACAF and AFC, released a joint letter in August opposing Infantino, and while he has supporters, including the 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia, the African football governing body CAF and South America's CONMEBOL also expressed their backing.