The Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A and Bundesliga are set to jointly demand urgent governance reforms at FIFA. This comes amid growing pressure on president Gianni Infantino.
According to Sky Sports, the four major European leagues are expected to publish a collective statement calling for greater consultation on key decisions. These decisions include the international football calendar.
The statement was still being finalised on Thursday. At the same time, it remained unclear whether the leagues would directly call for Infantino to step down.
European leagues seek greater FIFA oversight
One football insider said the leagues want stronger independent checks on FIFA. Furthermore, they want a greater role for stakeholders in major decisions.
“The Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A are going to issue a joint statement insisting that FIFA must reform to have more independent oversight and give stakeholders, including leagues, a meaningful role in decision-making,” the source said.
The planned statement follows a legal complaint filed nearly two years ago by the European Leagues Association over FIFA’s handling of the International Match Calendar.
The Premier League and other major leagues have repeatedly raised concerns about what they describe as “calendar creep.”
Their concerns include the possibility of more frequent Club World Cups and expanded international competitions. This could place additional pressure on domestic leagues and players.
Infantino signals openness to FIFA reforms
The development comes after Infantino wrote to football leaders around the world. In his letter, he indicated that he was open to discussions on reforming FIFA’s governance structure.
According to the report, Infantino said he would ask the FIFA Council whether it wants an “independent external review of FIFA’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements.”
He also proposed talks with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on ways to strengthen FIFA’s decision-making.
The proposed review would examine the roles of the president, bureau, council and congress. It would also consider ways to improve transparency and accountability.
“Strong institutions do not wait for their systems to fail before considering how they can be improved,” Infantino wrote.
Infantino faces criticism over commercial rights plan
Infantino has faced criticism from football executives and associations over a proposal to sell a 20 per cent stake in FIFA’s commercial rights to private investors.
The plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, was abandoned in July. This followed widespread opposition and threats by some bodies to boycott FIFA competitions.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF subsequently called for changes to FIFA’s leadership.
Despite signalling openness to governance reforms, Infantino did not suggest he was considering stepping down.
Instead, he maintained that his responsibilities as FIFA president were “larger than any individual proposal or disagreement.”
The FIFA Council is expected to discuss possible reforms when it meets next month.
