Premier League joins La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A in demanding FIFA reform

The English Premier League has joined La Liga, the Bundesliga and Serie A in calling for fundamental reforms to the governance of world football body FIFA.

The four major European leagues issued a joint statement calling for FIFA to become more transparent, accountable and inclusive in its decision-making.

They argued that FIFA’s expanding commercial and regulatory activities increasingly affect leagues, clubs, players and other football stakeholders around the world.

The statement follows controversy surrounding the now-withdrawn FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which reportedly involved plans connected to private investment in World Cup-related commercial activity.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has since proposed an external review of the organisation’s operations.

The four leagues welcomed the acknowledgement that reform was necessary but said changes should go beyond adjustments to internal procedures.

They called for clearer limits on FIFA’s regulatory, political and commercial powers and argued that football stakeholders should have a stronger role in decisions that directly affect them.

The leagues also said disciplinary processes should remain protected from political interference.

Their statement referred to wider concerns over how power is concentrated within FIFA’s leadership structure and called for stronger checks and balances.

FIFA had been approached for a response to the leagues’ allegations at the time of Punch’s report.