The Premier League, alongside La Liga, the Bundesliga and Serie A, says it’s speaking out because it knows FIFA’s relentless expansion hurts everyone.
All four leagues argue that a shake‑up is essential for FIFA to become transparent, objective, proportionate and inclusive, warning that the sport can’t grow if its foundations crumble.
The call follows Infantino’s suggestion of an external review amid the fallout from his botched plan to sell a World Cup stake to private investors, which ignited worldwide outrage.
Labeling it “one of the biggest abuses of power in FIFA’s history,” the leagues note that although stakeholders forced the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme’s withdrawal, the underlying conditions persist.
They add that while the FIFA president now admits reform is needed, superficial process tweaks after the FFE scandal won’t suffice; deep constitutional changes must shield disciplinary matters from political meddling.
The remark alludes to the aborted suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup after President Donald Trump urged Infantino to review the ban.
Indeed, the leagues stress that FIFA’s governance woes extend far beyond a single figure.
They question whether one person should hold regulatory, commercial and political authority without real checks, noting that relegating stakeholders to advisory roles is simply inadequate.
For my money, FIFA must hand power to an independent board. Will the sport finally see a governance model that truly protects its integrity?