Europe’s four biggest football leagues have called for fundamental governance reform at FIFA, accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of promoting what they describe as ‘exploitative ideas’ and failing to safeguard against them.
The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga published the statement together under the title “To Unify the Game, FIFA Must Reform.” It is the first time the four leagues have issued a joint statement on FIFA’s governance.
The statement comes as Infantino prepares to stand for re-election as FIFA president at the FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on March 18, 2027.
Why Are Europe's Top Leagues Calling for FIFA Governance Reform?
The statement follows FIFA's withdrawal of its plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The scheme, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, was withdrawn in July after strong opposition from UEFA and other football bodies.
The leagues say withdrawing the plan did not address the underlying issue. “The conditions that led to FFE remain,” the statement reads.
The leagues argue that FIFA's president holds significant regulatory, commercial and political powers without sufficient oversight. The statement describes this concentration of power as “not fit for purpose.”
The four leagues describe themselves as founding members of the European Leagues and the World Leagues Association. The statement therefore comes from four major domestic league organisations with established roles in European and global football.
What FIFA Governance Reforms Are the Four Leagues Calling For?
The statement sets out three specific changes. First, FIFA should create a permanent body representing national associations, leagues, clubs, and players from men’s and women’s football.
Under the leagues' proposal, the body would have a role in approving decisions on the football calendar, employment rules, competitions and other core matters.
Second, major FIFA proposals should be supported by published evidence and an independent assessment before any decision is made, with the leagues calling for greater scrutiny before proposals are announced.
Third, FIFA's ethics, financial oversight, and electoral functions should operate independently of the FIFA administration and the presidency. The leagues say this would help keep the World Cup and FIFA's other competition rights "held in trust for all of football."
The statement also refers to a complaint the leagues filed with the European Commission over FIFA’s expansion of the International Match Calendar. The leagues cite the dispute as an example of what they say is FIFA making decisions that affect domestic leagues without their input.
How Could FIFA Governance Reform Affect the 2027 Presidential Election?
The leagues did not call for Infantino to resign. Instead, they said the governance problem “goes far beyond the role of one individual.”
They called on every candidate in the March election to publish a reform programme and endorse the principles set out in the statement.
They also want a Governance Convention within the first 100 days of the next presidency, with a public report due within six months.
The statement comes after Infantino sent a letter to FIFA’s 211 member associations proposing an independent review of FIFA’s decision-making process and consultations with stakeholders, Reuters reported.
Germany's football association president, Bernd Neuendorf, told Reuters that the letter amounted to a re-election "ploy."
Infantino’s Council is due to discuss his proposals at a meeting on October 15, weeks before the leagues' three-point reform proposal is expected to form part of the wider debate over FIFA governance.
