The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and the Bundesliga have issued a joint call for fundamental changes to FIFA's governance, criticizing President Gianni Infantino's leadership.

Four of Europe’s top football leagues—the English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga—have issued a joint statement demanding sweeping governance reforms at FIFA. The leagues criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing him of promoting exploitative ideas and failing to safeguard the sport's foundations. This demand follows recent controversies, including the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme and concerns regarding political influence in disciplinary decisions.

Criticism of FIFA Leadership

The leagues' statement argues that FIFA faces a fundamental governance problem, asserting that Infantino has prioritized exploitative concepts over protecting the sport. While Infantino recently proposed an independent external review of FIFA’s governance, the league leaders dismissed this as insufficient surface-level change. They argue that deeper reforms are necessary to restore constitutional boundaries within the organization.

Disciplinary and Calendar Concerns

A primary point of contention involves the need for disciplinary matters to remain insulated from political interference. This concern stems from the Folarin Balogun case, where the U.S. striker’s one-match ban was suspended, allowing him to play against Belgium after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed he had asked Infantino to review the suspension. Additionally, the leagues expressed frustration over FIFA’s unilateral expansion of the international match calendar and new competitions like the Club World Cup, which they claim are implemented without meaningful involvement from the stakeholders most affected.