April 2 – The World Leagues Forum is rebranding, changing its name and reworking its graphic identity under the new banner of the World Leagues Association.
Formed in 2016, the 45-member league body has been battling to consistently get its voice and those of its leagues heard in the international game well in advance of key decision-making.
The change of name from ‘forum’ to ‘association’ reflects its growth from being a discussion group with a voice too often and easily overlooked at the football stakeholder table, to a harder core lobbying group.
Rebranding under the principles of co-operation, balance (“strong national leagues are key to the sustainability and fairness of football”), legitimacy and reliability, the key here in terms of becoming an effective voice is under the legitimacy pillar.
“Legitimacy – because we represent and promote the interests of our leagues and all their clubs,” said the WLA in its announcement.
Getting a full seat at the football stakeholders table is the motivation behind the upgraded image. Too frequently the leagues have been overlooked, or regarded as irrelevant, in football debate on calendar and competition by football’s governing bodies.
As the WLA has hardened its position in the football governance eco-system, so it has made moves to grow its membership and advocacy.
Last November the WLA took steps to embrace the growing number of women’s leagues with a formalised establishment of the Women’s Leagues Forum, which will provide professional women’s football leagues worldwide with a group platform to share information and best practise and to crucially lobby governing bodies on issues facing the development of the women’s professional game.
Under the umbrella of the WLA, the lobbying and advocacy group will now have a 45-country men’s leagues membership and with the Women’s Leagues Forum, a further 16 bodies responsible for their women’s national football league.
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