The four major European football leagues -- the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A and Germany's Bundesliga -- called on Friday for a comprehensive reform of FIFA.

The sport's governing body has been mired in crisis following the revelation of a now-shelved proposal to establish a commercial entity named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which was intended to accept private investors.

"Fundamental governance reform is essential to restore clear constitutional boundaries within FIFA, including confidence that individual disciplinary matters remain demonstrably insulated from political interference," the four leagues stated in a joint document sent to AFP.

"We are speaking up together, as founding members of European Leagues and the World Leagues Association, because we understand how FIFA’s relentless expansionism affects everyone."

The joint declaration comes shortly after FIFA President Gianni Infantino -- who has faced mounting criticism over the FFE plan to introduce private investment into the men's and women's World Cups -- proposed "a consultation" with national federations to overhaul the organization's governance structure.

"The FIFA president has now acknowledged the need for reform, but it is not enough for surface-level, process changes to be explored in the aftermath of FFE," the four primary leagues noted, characterizing the shelved commercial venture as "one of the biggest abuses of power in FIFA’s history."

However, the four competitions refrained from attributing blame solely to Infantino.

"FIFA’s governance problem goes far beyond the role of one individual," they emphasized. Instead, they proposed the establishment of a permanent body representing national associations, leagues, clubs, and players across both men’s and women’s football.

"This new body must be fully informed about new initiatives and have a meaningful role in FIFA’s decision-making process," they asserted.

"Any major FIFA proposal must begin with a clearly defined rationale, supporting evidence and an independent assessment, published in advance of any decision, covering players, clubs, leagues and supporters, and evaluating the impact on all stakeholders and the development of football."

Furthermore, they urged the separation and protection of FIFA’s responsibilities "as regulator and guardian of the game" from its commercial ventures.

The four leagues also invited candidates for the FIFA presidency who will commit to endorsing their governance principles "within the first 100 days of the next presidential mandate".

At present, Infantino remains the sole candidate running for the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 18, 2027, with the formal nomination window open until November 18.

In August, UEFA, alongside North American governing body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), released a blunt joint letter criticizing Infantino's administration.

"Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding -- or demanding -- power to be held," the confederations wrote.

Despite the pushback, Infantino retains substantial support across other regions, with 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia declaring backing last month, alongside public support from African football's governing body CAF and South America's CONMEBOL.

Source: AFP