Serie A Joins Other Leagues in Calling for FIFA Governance Reform

Lega Serie A, alongside the Premier League, LaLiga, and Bundesliga, has issued a joint statement calling for reforms within FIFA's management. The statement, titled 'To unify the game, FIFA must reform', highlights concerns that "Football’s long-standing foundations have been threatened by a fundamental governance problem."

Signatories include Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo, Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters, Bundesliga CEO Marc Lenz, and LaLiga President Javier Tebas. They are urging changes at the highest level of FIFA's administration.

The leagues contend that FIFA needs to "give affected shareholders a real pole in decision making," "ensure evidence-based decision-making," and "protect FIFA’s regulatory role from its commercial function." These demands follow controversial plans by FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarding the sale of World Cup stakes to private investors and the expansion of the international match calendar, which has reportedly caused significant delays in domestic football seasons.

The Italian FA (FIGC), separate from Lega Serie A, has already withdrawn its support for President Infantino.

The joint statement elaborates on the issues, stating: "The World Cup may be the pinnacle of our sport, but the foundations of football are sustained week in and week out, in packed stadiums and local communities, by dedicated players, fans, clubs and leagues around the world. 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."

While acknowledging FIFA's president has recognized the need for reform, the leagues emphasize that superficial changes are insufficient. They call for fundamental governance reform to re-establish clear constitutional boundaries within FIFA and ensure confidence that disciplinary matters are free from political interference.

"The future of FIFA matters to everyone who cares about football, because our sport cannot grow globally if its foundations are undermined," the statement reads. It argues that FIFA's governance issues extend beyond a single individual, questioning the concentration of regulatory, commercial, and political power without sufficient checks and balances or stakeholder agreement.

Representing the World Leagues Association, the leagues emphasize how FIFA's "relentless expansionism" impacts all stakeholders. They highlight the significant social and economic contributions of domestic leagues, which support industries, create jobs, and invest in grassroots development.

The statement points out that while a small fraction of professional players participate in the World Cup, the majority of players and their clubs cease competition when domestic leagues pause. Decisions impacting these domestic competitions, such as the expansion of the International Match Calendar (IMC), are made without meaningful involvement from the affected stakeholders. They deem a FIFA governance structure that consolidates unchecked power while relegating stakeholders to advisory roles "not fit for purpose."

The leagues reference international jurisprudence, noting that while sports governing bodies can regulate the game, their power is not unlimited. They call for FIFA's competitions to be organized with transparent, objective, and inclusive rules, subject to independent review.

The IMC complaint filed with the European Commission in October 2024 is cited as a consequence of this flawed governance framework, where FIFA allegedly uses its regulatory authority to advance commercial objectives without considering the impact on national competitions.

"This must change now for the sake of football," the leagues declare, proposing a new governance structure for FIFA built on three core commitments:

• Give affected stakeholders a real role in decision-making: FIFA should establish a permanent body with representation from national associations, leagues, clubs, and players. This body must be informed about new initiatives and have a meaningful say in decisions concerning the calendar, employment, competitions, and core football assets. The agreement of directly affected stakeholder groups should be required.
• Ensure evidence-based decision-making: Major FIFA proposals must be supported by a clearly defined rationale, evidence, and independent assessment published in advance. This assessment should cover the impact on players, clubs, leagues, and supporters, and evaluate the development of football. Various options should be scrutinized, with final decisions accompanied by published explanations.
• Protect FIFA’s regulatory role from its commercial function: Robust institutional safeguards are needed to separate FIFA's role as regulator from its commercial activities as a competition organizer. Ethics, financial oversight, and electoral bodies must have genuine independence from FIFA administration and the presidency. These reforms aim to ensure FIFA's core competition rights are held in trust for all of football.

Looking ahead, the leagues encourage presidential candidates to endorse these principles and convene an independently chaired Governance Convention within the first 100 days of the next mandate. Candidates are urged to publish their reform programs, engage in debate, and adhere to fair election rules, ensuring FIFA's resources remain neutral.

The statement concludes by inviting confederations, national associations, leagues, clubs, player unions, supporter groups, and public authorities globally to support these principles. "Now is the moment to decide not only who will lead FIFA, but also how it should be led," they state, emphasizing the crucial role leagues must play in ensuring every league's voice is heard. They add, "Football needs FIFA to be a strong institution. But strength must be matched by accountability. FIFA’s authority can only come from sharing responsibility, accepting scrutiny and earning trust.”