May 10 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has again personally endorsed the need for salary caps and smaller squad sizes to stop the game’s finances spiralling out of control.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Spanish publication AS, Infantino called for unity in the wake of the European Super League debacle and suggested there were other ways to stop the rich getting richer and, conversely, for many of the game’s elite clubs to stave off mounting losses partly caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Financial control mechanisms are very important also to ensure a balanced and fair competition. I have been saying a few times that we should think if we can introduce some sort of salary caps, transfer fee and squad size limits and other rules that can help to control a spending spiral which is harmful for the game even if we live in an ever more globalised world,” said Infantino.
“Of course the controversy over the Super League took over the debate but this should really be an opportunity to focus on the key issues of football and its future.
“Concentration of power and money in fewer and fewer (clubs). Competitive imbalance (is) getting worse and worse nationally and even much more internationally. Salaries, transfer fees and agent fees (are) exploding to unhealthy levels.”
Infantino has been accused in some quarters of not being strong enough in his condemnation of the European Super League.
Rejecting this accusation, he told AS: “I have been very clear in what is mine and FIFA’s position on this matter. We stand by UEFA in rejecting the Super League. We are against it and we will always be against any competition which is not part of the international structures of football and that threatens the unity and solidarity that should always exist in the football pyramid, which links grassroots and amateur level to the top stars.”
“Having said that, it is also my duty to advocate that all the parties should enter into a profound and hopefully constructive dialogue in search of positive solutions.”
“I am the president of FIFA and my responsibility is to defend football as a whole and all around the world. This includes small, medium and big clubs, leagues and federations of all over the world.”
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