The Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A and Bundesliga have called for fundamental reform at FIFA, increasing pressure on president Gianni Infantino amid an ongoing dispute over the governing body’s leadership and decision-making.
The four major European leagues issued a joint statement on Friday calling for changes to FIFA’s governance structure, arguing that clearer boundaries and greater consultation are needed in the running of world football.
“Fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within FIFA,” the leagues said in a statement sent to the press.
The intervention comes after months of tension surrounding FIFA’s abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which involved creating a FIFA-owned commercial company and opening part of its commercial operations to private investment.
NEW: European Leagues organisation criticises proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, and welcomes collapse of “dangerous” sell off plan.
The FIFA President’s decision to abandon his ill-conceived FFE proposal that would have sold stakes in FIFA’s commercial and…
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) August 5, 2026
The proposal sparked opposition from several football bodies before FIFA withdrew it. Infantino subsequently told FIFA’s 211 member associations that he was open to an independent external review of the organisation’s governance and consultations over how major decisions are made.
The four leagues’ intervention now adds another significant voice to those calling for changes.
What are the leagues asking for?
The dispute is not limited to the abandoned FFE proposal.
European leagues have also been increasingly concerned about the international football calendar, with the expansion of competitions and additional matches creating tension between FIFA and domestic competitions.
“Football’s longstanding foundations have, in recent years, been threatened by a fundamental governance problem whereby FIFA’s president has actively promoted exploitative ideas rather than safeguarding
against them”. Damning joint statement about Gianni Infantino from Premier… pic.twitter.com/kMFSAYT8My— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 25, 2026
The Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga and Serie A are calling for greater involvement from leagues and other stakeholders in decisions that directly affect their competitions and schedules.
They also want stronger independent oversight and clearer limits around FIFA’s decision-making powers. The timing of the statement is particularly significant because Infantino has already proposed an external review of FIFA’s governance structure.
In his letter to FIFA’s Council and member associations, the FIFA president said the review could identify potential improvements while also proposing consultations on transparency, participation and accountability.
However, criticism of the proposal has continued, with some football officials arguing that the suggested reforms do not go far enough.
Pressure grows ahead of Infantino’s re-election bid
The latest development comes at a crucial time for Infantino, who is expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president in March 2027.
The controversy surrounding FFE has already led to calls for greater transparency and scrutiny of FIFA’s finances and governance. UEFA and CONCACAF presidents Aleksander Čeferin and Victor Montagliani have also called for FIFA to distribute at least $10 million to each of its 211 member associations from its reserves during the next financial cycle.
Infantino has maintained that FFE never involved giving up FIFA’s authority over sporting decisions and has said that the organisation remains committed to consultation and democratic processes. The four major leagues, however, are now collectively demanding that reform goes further.
With the FIFA Council due to consider Infantino’s reform proposals in October, the coming weeks could determine whether the growing pressure results in concrete changes to the way FIFA operates or leads to another round of consultations.
