Premier League brands Fifa governance ‘not fit for purpose’ as it demands major overhaul

The Premier League has joined demands for a radical overhaul at Fifa, warning that the governing body's management structure is currently "not fit for purpose".

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has faced intense criticism and calls to step down since details surfaced on 28 July regarding a private investment plan for a commercial entity, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run its events.

While opposition across three continents forced the withdrawal of the FFE proposal, European governing body Uefa insists it no longer has confidence in Infantino and will seek a credible alternative candidate to oppose him in next year's presidential vote.

Although Infantino promised reform this week, executives from four leading European competitions, including Premier League chief Richard Masters, co-signed a statement reading: "It is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE – fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within Fifa, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference."

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Premier League chief Richard Masters has co-signed the statement (PA)

The reference to political meddling concerns Fifa's handling of Folarin Balogun, whose one-match suspension was frozen to allow the United States forward to play against Belgium in the World Cup round of 16. Although Fifa's disciplinary panel enacted the stay, US president Donald Trump stated he had personally telephoned Infantino to request a "review" of the ruling.

The joint declaration - issued on Friday morning alongside Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A - advocates for formal checks and balances. This includes creating a permanent committee of associations, leagues, clubs and player representatives holding veto power over the international calendar, competitions, employment and core assets.

Warning against Fifa's "relentless expansionism" which "affects everyone", the leagues pointed out: "Around one per cent of the world’s professional players take part in the Fifa World Cup, while the remaining players and their clubs stop competing when domestic leagues come to a halt,"

The statement added: "Yet when Fifa takes major unilateral decisions directly affecting us – for example, by expanding the International Match Calendar (IMC) and extending the periods in which domestic competitions must pause – the stakeholders most affected are not meaningfully involved in the decision-making process.

Infantino issued a defiant statement on Instagram earlier this week (Reuters)

"A Fifa governance that concentrates unchecked regulatory, commercial and political power in a single office, while relegating affected stakeholders to mere advisory status, is not fit for purpose."

In an Instagram post on Thursday, Infantino insisted he has "never been more determined and committed" to doing "what is right for the game", adding: "There must be a culture of dialogue, of listening to each other and respecting one another."

Uefa has requested an independent external inquiry into the FFE scheme and sought document disclosures through US courts, potentially leading to a Swiss criminal complaint if Infantino is shown to have undervalued FFE at $20 billion.

Fifa rejected Uefa’s legal filings as a "smear campaign".