Speaking at the 33rd European Football Clubs (EFC) General Assembly in Copenhagen, PSG president Nasser Al‑Khelaïfi used his platform to fire several messages at FIFA chief Gianni Infantino as the governing body wrestles with a storm of governance issues.
The Bella Center hall swelled to a record‑breaking 900 clubs, drawing European football’s top executives—UEFA boss Aleksander Čeferin and FIFA secretary‑general Mattias Grafström among them. Over two days, powerhouses such as PSG, AC Milan, Barça and Olympique de Marseille sent delegates, cementing the meeting as a must‑attend fixture for the continent’s football elite.
Against that backdrop, Al‑Khelaïfi chose to address the crisis head‑on, delivering a speech that underscored the clubs’ collective voice now representing nine hundred members, and directing a pointed appeal to Infantino amid FIFA’s turbulent leadership.
We are wasting time managing problems.
He reminded everyone that clubs are the backbone of the global game, noting, “We all followed the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. I hope the value of clubs finally gets recognized. We take pride seeing our players wear their national jerseys.”
Then his tone sharpened. Without naming recent scandals, he warned Infantino, “It’s truly sad to witness the current state. Instead of improving the sport, we waste time juggling problems. Football thrives when we listen, act transparently and stay honest. Regardless of our differences, the game transcends us all.” In my view, his blunt criticism could spark needed reform.