November 27 – The World Leagues Association (WLA), which has grown to more than 40 professional leagues, has again put pressure on FIFA to democratise decision-making and stakeholder involvement in international calendar and competition decisions.
To date the WLA has been continually refused a seat at FIFA’s stakeholder table, as has global players’ union FIFPRO.
Following the WLA’s annual meeting in Athens at the end of last week, Premier League CEO and WLA chair Richard Masters said “the balance between national and international football is under threat from the unprecedented expansion of international competitions.
“We cannot take football’s global popularity, its fans and its players for granted by fracturing this balance through an overloaded international calendar. All our members are united in their belief that to restore this balance domestic leagues must be protected.”
The WLA this year made a proposal to FIFA jointly with FIFPRO, “for a global governance framework establishing shared decision-making principles for the international calendar “.
FIFPRO, like the WLA, has been excluded from FIFA’s decision making. The WLA points out it is home to more than 4,000 clubs that have 130,000 professional players, and recognises FIFPRO as the “sole international legitimate representative of players”.
The European Football Clubs body (formerly the ECA) does have a seat at the table.
It is a glaring imbalance in the global decision-making process that sees the leagues and the players excluded, while the clubs that wouldn’t exist without either, are included. FIFA needs the clubs for its Club World Cup and has decided it can afford to ride roughshod over the leagues where the players earn their money, and the players’ union who speak for the players’ terms and welfare.
FIFA’s confidence comes from president Gianni Infantino’s belief that he has the ECA and its chairman, Qatari Nasser al Khaleifi, in his corner. Their relationship has become close following the inaugural CWC in the USA this summer.
As well as discussing the threats to the club game and the existing football eco-system, the WLA members also conducted a series of workshops on common issues as well as discussing the transfer market.
While FIFA is exclusive in who it lets through its doors, the WLA was inclusive inviting representatives from European Leagues Association, FIFPRO, FIFPRO Europe, UEFA, FIFA, EFC and the IFAB to attend.
“Football at all levels, from international competitions to grassroots, needs strong national leagues to provide the foundations. Dialogue with FIFA is now crucial and it is in the best interests of football to involve the leagues in any future decisions about the international calendar.”
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