The Premier League, together with three of Europe’s most influential domestic competitions, is preparing to issue a coordinated appeal for immediate reforms to FIFA’s governance structure, a move prompted by the ongoing controversy surrounding the organisation’s president, Gianni Infantino. According to information obtained by Sky News, the English top‑flight league and its counterparts in Germany (the Bundesliga), Italy (Serie A) and Spain (La Liga) will release a joint statement on Friday that calls for a more consultative approach on pivotal matters, most notably the worldwide football calendar.
The draft of the communiqué was still being fine‑tuned on Thursday afternoon, and it remained unclear whether the leagues would explicitly demand Infantino’s resignation. However, a source close to the negotiations explained that the four leagues intend to press FIFA to adopt a governance model that incorporates stronger independent oversight and grants leagues a substantive voice in the decision‑making process. The source linked the forthcoming statement to a legal complaint lodged almost two years ago by the European Leagues Association – an umbrella body that includes the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga – which was filed with the European Union over FIFA’s handling of the International Match Calendar. For several years, the Premier League and other leading European leagues have been at odds with FIFA over what they describe as “calendar creep.” The prospect of more frequent Club World Cups, an expanded roster of international fixtures, and a broader range of national‑team competitions threatens to congest the already packed domestic schedules of the world’s most lucrative leagues.
These leagues argue that the current system, which gives FIFA unilateral authority over the calendar, undermines the commercial interests and sporting integrity of club football across the continent. Earlier in the week, Sky News reported that Infantino, who appears increasingly confident about retaining his position when the FIFA presidential election takes place next year, sent a letter to football administrators worldwide indicating his willingness to discuss reforms within the governing body. The letter, seen by the outlet, was addressed to the heads of all 211 FIFA member associations as well as the FIFA Council. In it, Infantino proposed that the council consider commissioning an "independent external review of FIFA’s current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements." He also offered to engage in dialogue with confederations, national associations and other stakeholders to strengthen FIFA’s decision‑making mechanisms.
Infantino’s reform pitch follows a period of intense criticism from various corners of the football industry. One of the most contentious proposals he championed was the sale of a 20 per cent stake in FIFA’s commercial rights – including those linked to the World Cup – to private investors. Among the prospective buyers mentioned in media reports was Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to former President Donald Trump’s daughter.
The plan, dubbed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), sparked a global backlash, with numerous clubs, leagues and even national associations threatening to boycott FIFA‑organised tournaments. The outcry forced FIFA to abandon the FFE initiative in July.
The demand for change is not limited to the Premier League and its European peers. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF – the governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean – have also called for revisions to FIFA’s leadership and governance structures.
In his letter, Infantino acknowledged the need for greater transparency and accountability, stating that any review would examine who holds decision‑making power over major initiatives, the respective roles of the president, the bureau, the council and the congress, and how to improve overall governance. While Infantino emphasized that he would not prejudge the outcome of any discussions, he indicated that the proposals could be debated at the next council meeting, scheduled for the following month. He framed his responsibility as serving all 211 member associations fairly, regardless of their stance on any single issue, 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 that Infantino himself would step aside; instead, it reaffirmed his intention to remain FIFA president, arguing that his duties "are larger than any individual proposal or disagreement." The Premier League declined to comment on the matter when approached on Thursday.
The league’s silence underscores the delicate balance it must strike between protecting its own commercial interests and maintaining a collaborative relationship with the global governing body that oversees the sport. In summary, the joint statement expected from the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A represents a significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle between the world’s most powerful domestic leagues and FIFA. By demanding a more inclusive governance model and greater oversight, these leagues hope to curb what they see as unchecked expansion of international fixtures that threaten the stability of club competitions. Whether FIFA will heed these calls for reform, or whether Infantino will retain his position without substantial changes, remains to be seen.
The outcome will likely shape the future landscape of both international and club football for years to come.