Sports
In a move reflecting growing discontent, major European football leagues, including the English Premier League, the German Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga, have called for urgent and fundamental reforms in the governance system of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). This appeal was made in a joint statement issued on Friday by these four leagues, which emphasized the necessity of strengthening independent oversight within FIFA and granting various football stakeholders a real and active role in critical decision-making processes. This step comes amidst increasing dissatisfaction with the expansion of the international match calendar, in addition to decisions regarding the future and development of football being made without extensive and sufficient consultations with domestic league competitions. It is worth noting that the French Ligue 1 did not join this initiative gathering the four major European leagues. These demands coincide with previous criticisms directed at FIFA's administration, led by Gianni Infantino, following a proposal to sell a 20% stake in the federation's commercial rights, including World Cup rights, to private investors. This project faced widespread objections from European football bodies, leading to its halt. It is recalled that FIFPro, the European Club Association, and La Liga had jointly filed a complaint with the European Commission against FIFA in November 2024, as part of disputes related to the management of the international football calendar.
