The Premier League, together with three of its leading European counterparts, is set to issue a coordinated statement on Friday calling for immediate reforms to FIFA's governance structure in the midst of the ongoing crisis surrounding its president, Gianni Infantino. According to a report from Sky News, the top‑tier domestic competitions in England, Germany, Italy and Spain will jointly publish a declaration that stresses the need for greater consultation on pivotal matters such as the worldwide football calendar. The leagues say that FIFA must introduce more independent oversight and grant stakeholders—including the major domestic leagues—a substantive role in the decision‑making process. At the time of writing, the wording of the joint communiqué was still being finalised by the quartet of leagues.
It was not yet clear whether the statement would explicitly demand that Infantino step down, although the tone suggests a strong push for structural change rather than a personal ouster. One insider familiar with the negotiations explained: "The Premier League, the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A will release a joint statement insisting that FIFA must be reformed to provide independent oversight and to give leagues a meaningful voice in its governance." This reflects a growing frustration among the continent's most lucrative competitions, which feel increasingly sidelined by FIFA's top‑down approach. The move follows a legal complaint lodged almost two years ago by the European Leagues Association—an umbrella group that includes the four leagues planning the joint statement—to the European Union. The complaint alleged that FIFA’s handling of the International Match Calendar violated competition law and gave the governing body unchecked authority over domestic scheduling.
For several years, the Premier League and its European peers have been at odds with FIFA over what they term "calendar creep." The prospect of more frequent Club World Cups, expanded international tournaments, and an ever‑busy national‑team schedule threatens to congest the domestic season, jeopardising player welfare, broadcast agreements and the commercial value of the leagues. Earlier this week, Sky News reported that Infantino, who appears increasingly confident about retaining his position when the FIFA presidential election is held next year, sent a letter to football leaders worldwide indicating his willingness to discuss reforms.
In the correspondence, he proposed that the FIFA Council consider launching an "independent external review of FIFA's current governance framework for major strategic initiatives and recommend potential improvements." Infantino’s outreach comes after a wave of criticism from football executives and associations over his earlier proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA’s commercial rights—including those of the World Cup—to private investors. Among the potential buyers mentioned was Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump.
The plan, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), sparked a global backlash and was ultimately abandoned in July following threats of boycotts and widespread opposition. In addition to the European leagues, other governing bodies such as UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have also called for changes to FIFA’s leadership and governance. The pressure is mounting from every corner of the sport, with many stakeholders demanding a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive decision‑making process. In his letter, which was seen by Sky News, Infantino told the heads of all 211 FIFA member associations and the FIFA Council that he would ask the council whether it wishes to initiate an independent review of the organization’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives.
He also offered to hold talks with confederations, national associations and other interested parties on how to strengthen FIFA’s decision‑making structures. The proposed review would examine who currently has a say in major initiatives, clarifying the respective roles of the president, the bureau, the council and the congress.
It would also explore ways to improve transparency, accountability and the overall balance of power within FIFA. Infantino stressed that he would not pre‑judge the outcome of any discussions and that any proposals could be debated 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 added 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 be subject to review or that he might step aside. Instead, it reaffirmed his intention to remain FIFA president, arguing that his duties are "larger than any individual proposal or disagreement." When approached for comment on Thursday, the Premier League declined to provide a statement, underscoring the delicate nature of the negotiations and the league’s desire to let the joint communiqué speak for itself.
The coordinated effort by the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over FIFA’s governance. By demanding a seat at the table and insisting on independent oversight, these leagues are signaling that the status quo is no longer acceptable. Whether FIFA will heed these calls for reform—and how Infantino’s leadership will be affected—remains to be seen, but the pressure from the sport’s most powerful domestic competitions is now unmistakably clear.