The Premier League, together with three of Europe’s most prominent domestic competitions, is set to issue a coordinated appeal for sweeping reforms to FIFA’s governance structures as the organisation grapples with a deepening crisis surrounding its president, Gianni Infantino. According to a source close to the negotiations, the English top‑flight league will join forces with Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga in a joint statement that will be released on Friday.
The document is expected to stress the need for more inclusive decision‑making processes, particularly concerning the worldwide football calendar, and to demand that FIFA grant leagues a genuine voice in shaping the sport’s future. The four leagues are still finalising the wording of the statement, with senior officials meeting on Thursday afternoon to hammer out the final language.
While it is not yet clear whether the communiqué will explicitly call for Infantino’s resignation, insiders say the tone will be firm: "The Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A will demand that FIFA introduce independent oversight mechanisms and provide stakeholders – including domestic leagues – with a meaningful role in strategic decisions." The move follows a legal complaint lodged nearly two years ago by the European Leagues Association – the body that represents the four leagues involved – to the European Union. The complaint alleged that FIFA’s handling of the International Match Calendar violated competition law by favouring the interests of the governing body over those of the leagues, clubs and players. The complaint has been a catalyst for the current push for reform, as the leagues argue that the calendar has become increasingly congested, a phenomenon often referred to as "calendar creep." Calendar creep has been a persistent source of friction between FIFA and the world’s leading domestic competitions. The prospect of more frequent Club World Cups, expanded continental tournaments and additional international windows threatens to overload club schedules, potentially compromising player welfare, reducing the quality of domestic leagues and eroding broadcasters’ confidence.
The Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga have all warned that an unchecked calendar could diminish the commercial appeal of their competitions, which generate the bulk of football’s revenue worldwide. Earlier this week, Sky News reported that Infantino, who appears increasingly confident about retaining his position when he stands for re‑election next year, sent a letter to football leaders around the globe indicating a willingness to discuss organisational reforms.
In that correspondence, Infantino proposed an "independent external review" of FIFA’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives, inviting confederations, member associations and other stakeholders to participate in a dialogue aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability. Infantino’s reform pitch, however, has been met with skepticism. Industry executives and national associations have criticised his earlier suggestion to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA’s commercial rights – including those linked to the World Cup – to private investors.
The proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), attracted particular attention because one of the prospective investors was identified as Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s daughter. The FFE plan was scrapped in July after a wave of global opposition and threats of boycotts against FIFA‑organised tournaments. Beyond the European leagues, other governing bodies have also called for change.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF – which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean – have publicly urged reforms to FIFA’s leadership structure. In the letter obtained by Sky News, Infantino wrote to the heads of all 211 FIFA member associations and to the FIFA Council, stating that he would ask the council whether it wishes to commission an independent external review of the current governance model for major strategic initiatives and to recommend potential improvements. He also pledged to engage in talks with confederations, national associations and other stakeholders to strengthen FIFA’s decision‑making processes. The proposed review would examine who holds authority over major initiatives, clarifying the respective roles of the president, the bureau, the council and the congress, and would explore ways to boost transparency and accountability across the organisation.
Infantino stressed that he would not pre‑judge the outcomes of any discussions and that the proposals could be examined when the council meets next month. He framed his responsibility as serving "all 211 member associations fairly, regardless of their position on any individual matter," and warned that "strong institutions do not wait for their systems to fail before considering how they can be improved." Notably, the letter did not contain any language suggesting a personal review of Infantino’s own position. Instead, it reaffirmed his intention to remain FIFA president, arguing that his duties are "larger than any individual proposal or disagreement." The Premier League has declined to comment on the matter as of Thursday, maintaining its usual policy of speaking through official channels only.
The forthcoming joint statement from the four major leagues is expected to amplify the pressure on FIFA to act swiftly, lest the growing discontent among the sport’s most influential stakeholders jeopardise the governing body’s legitimacy and its ability to organise the world’s premier football events. In the broader context, the clash between FIFA and the top domestic leagues underscores a fundamental tension in modern football: the balance between global governance and the commercial realities of club football. As the sport continues to generate billions in revenue, the voices of the leagues – which operate the day‑to‑day product that fans watch – are becoming increasingly impossible for FIFA to ignore. Whether the proposed reforms will satisfy the leagues, the confederations and the national associations, or simply serve as a stop‑gap measure to preserve the status quo, remains to be seen.
The outcome will shape the future of football governance for years to come.