Major European Leagues Demand Deeper FIFA Governance Reform
The Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga and Serie A have demanded fundamental governance reforms at FIFA, arguing that the withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal has not addressed the underlying concerns surrounding the organisation.
In a joint statement titled “To Unify the Game, FIFA Must Reform”, the four leagues said FIFA needs to go beyond procedural adjustments and introduce changes that can restore confidence among football’s major stakeholders.
The statement follows FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s recent proposal for an independent external review of the governing body’s framework for major strategic decisions. Infantino also proposed structured consultations with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders.
The leagues, however, believe the response does not go far enough, maintaining that the circumstances that produced the FFE controversy remain unresolved.
“While football’s stakeholders ultimately forced the withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme, the conditions that led to FFE remain,” they said.
They added that the acknowledgement of the need for reform was welcome but insisted that “surface-level process changes” would not be enough, calling instead for “fundamental governance reform” within FIFA.
The FFE proposal was withdrawn in August after consultations with FIFA’s member associations revealed significant divisions.
The project had involved plans to bring external investment into FIFA’s commercial operations, including its major competitions, prompting opposition from several confederations and national associations.
Calls for limits on presidential power
A major part of the leagues’ statement focuses on the concentration of authority within the FIFA presidency.
“The wider question is whether FIFA’s president should simultaneously wield such regulatory, commercial and political power without effective checks and balances,” they said.
They also called for stronger guarantees that disciplinary decisions are protected from political influence, saying “individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference.”
The four leagues proposed three broad areas for reform: giving affected stakeholders a meaningful role in FIFA decision-making, ensuring major decisions are evidence-based, and protecting FIFA’s regulatory responsibilities from its commercial interests.
“FIFA’s governance problem goes far beyond the role of one individual,” the leagues said, arguing that structural safeguards should remain effective regardless of who occupies the presidency.
The statement comes as opposition to Infantino has grown among several national associations. Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Wales have questioned whether his proposed governance review is sufficient, while some European associations have withdrawn support for his bid for another term.
Infantino has nevertheless maintained his intention to seek re-election. The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, where he will seek a fourth term.
The four European leagues are now calling for wider participation in decisions affecting domestic competitions, clubs and players, putting governance rather than the abandoned FFE proposal itself at the centre of the debate.
“The future of FIFA matters to everyone who cares about football,” they said, warning that global growth of the sport depends on strong and trusted institutional foundations.
Their intervention adds further pressure for FIFA to demonstrate that the reforms proposed in the aftermath of FFE will address not only how decisions are made, but also where power sits within the organisation.