Europe’s Top Leagues Call for FIFA Governance Overhaul Before 2027 Vote
England, Italy, Germany and Spain’s leading domestic leagues have called for fundamental reform at FIFA, arguing that the world governing body requires stronger constitutional safeguards before Gianni Infantino seeks re-election as president in 2027.
In a joint intervention, the leagues said football’s global development is at risk if FIFA’s governance structure is not overhauled. Their criticism focused on the concentration of regulatory, political and commercial influence in the hands of the FIFA president.
Quick facts
- The leading leagues in England, Italy, Germany and Spain issued the joint statement.
- Gianni Infantino is expected to pursue another FIFA presidential term in 2027.
- The statement referred to the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme.
- The leagues want clear constitutional limits and protection for disciplinary cases from political pressure.
The leagues said the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal had exposed wider problems rather than an isolated procedural issue. Although football stakeholders forced the scheme’s withdrawal, they argued that the circumstances which allowed it to emerge have not been resolved.
They noted that Infantino had accepted reform was needed, but said limited changes to FIFA’s processes would not meet the scale of the problem. Their demand is for a broader reset that establishes firmer boundaries on the authority held by the president.
A central concern is the treatment of disciplinary matters. The statement called for confidence that individual cases can be handled independently and remain visibly free from political intervention.
The leagues also questioned whether one office-holder should retain such extensive powers across FIFA’s regulatory work, commercial activities and political relationships without meaningful oversight. They said affected football stakeholders must have a role in agreeing the checks and balances governing those powers.
They pointed to FIFA’s earlier reform programme, introduced more than a decade ago after criminal proceedings involving senior football figures. In their view, the current situation represents another major misuse of authority despite the safeguards that process was intended to create.
The statement concluded that FIFA’s future carries consequences for the entire game. The leagues maintained that football cannot credibly expand around the world while the governance underpinning its leading institution remains in question.
