On Friday, 4 of the largest football leagues in Europe called for radical reforms within the International Federation (FIFA), calling for broader stakeholder involvement in decision-making, in light of growing criticism directed at the governance mechanisms within the game’s governing body.
The English Premier League, the German Premier League, the Italian League, and the Spanish League all stressed that FIFA needs a more solid system of checks and balances, clear constitutional limits, as well as a clearer separation between its role as a regulator of world football and its commercial interests.
This position is the first unified move from the four European leagues since FIFA President Gianni Infantino backed down from a controversial project that aimed to introduce foreign investments into the commercial activities of the International Federation, after facing widespread opposition from various parties to the game.
The leagues said in a joint statement: “The World Cup may represent the pinnacle of football, but the game is built and flourishing week after week in stadiums full of fans and within local communities, thanks to players, fans, clubs and leagues around the world.”
The statement added: “In recent years, the foundations of football have been exposed to a real threat due to a fundamental flaw in governance. Exploitative projects were promoted rather than confronted. Despite the success of the stakeholders in dropping the project, the circumstances that produced it still exist.”
This escalation comes at a time when pressure is increasing on Infantino, who is preparing to run in new elections for the presidency of FIFA next year.
The relationship between FIFA and the largest European leagues has witnessed increasing tension in recent years, against the backdrop of the International Federation’s expansion of its championships and competitions, which local clubs and leagues see as increasing the burden on players and threatening the artistic and commercial value of local competitions.
In an attempt to contain criticism, Infantino this week proposed assigning an independent body to review FIFA’s governance framework with regard to major strategic initiatives, in addition to launching consultations with continental and national federations and various concerned parties to strengthen decision-making mechanisms.
However, the European leagues saw that the matter goes beyond mere procedural amendments, stressing that there has become an urgent need for structural reforms that redraw the constitutional boundaries within FIFA and ensure the independence of organizational and disciplinary decisions from any political or commercial considerations.
Infantino's proposals were also met with widespread skepticism in Europe, especially after the sharp criticism directed by UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin of the project, which required the sale of up to 20 percent of FIFA's commercial rights, including World Cup rights, to private investors, before the file was finally closed last July.
The four European leagues believe that the future of the game requires real participation of the parties affected by FIFA’s decisions, through the establishment of a permanent body that includes national federations, leagues, clubs, and players from men’s and women’s football, ensuring that decisions are made on objective and transparent foundations.
The statement said: “The future of FIFA matters to everyone who cares about football, because the game cannot continue its global growth if its foundations are undermined.”
He added: “The governance problem in FIFA is bigger than one person; The real question is whether the FIFA president should combine regulatory, commercial and political powers at the same time, without effective controls or real oversight from the parties affected by his decisions.
The leagues concluded their statement by affirming that the reforms launched more than a decade ago following the corruption scandals that shook FIFA did not fully achieve their goals, considering that football once again finds itself facing a governance crisis that raises profound questions about how to manage the most popular game in the world.
Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala, a victim of a muscle tear in his right thigh, and English Arsenal striker Kai Havertz (a muscle strain) will leave the German national football team camp earlier than expected to participate in the European Nations League, according to what the local football federation announced on Friday in a statement.
On Thursday, Musiala was forced to stop the warm-up after he was scheduled to start against the Netherlands in Amsterdam (1-1) in the first round, after feeling pain in his right thigh. Nadeem Amiri replaced him at the last minute in the playmaker position.
The German Federation explained that the tests revealed a muscle tear. Thus, Musiala leaves the camp to receive treatment in Munich. The Federation did not specify the severity of the tear or the possible duration of absence.
Havertz left the field after a strong intervention by Crystal Palace defender Quentin Temper in the 28th minute, as he suffered a muscle strain.
To compensate for the absence of Musiala and Havertz, Jonathan Burkart and Florian Wirtz will join the German national team camp starting Friday, that is, a little earlier than scheduled.
The new coach, Jurgen Klopp, called up 44 players for an international period lasting three weeks, divided into two lists, the first for the matches against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Thursday and Greece in Augsburg, on Sunday, and the second, starting from Monday, to play the Nations League matches against Serbia in Munich and Greece in Thessaloniki.
Musiala and Havertz were on the first list, while Burkart and Wirtz's names were on the second.
Polish Maja Chwalinska, seeded fifth, continued her strong march in the women's singles competition at the Singapore Open Tennis Championship, after qualifying for the semi-finals of the competition.
Cwalinska ousted Belgian Elise Mertens, the defending champion, seeded fourth in the tournament, with a score of 6-2, 6-2, on Friday in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The player, who previously reached the final of the French Open "Roland Garros", the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments this season, has lost only 11 games in the three matches she has played this week so far.
This last match is considered the most important for the Polish player for several reasons, as not only did Cwalinska reserve her place in the semi-finals for the first time since her surprising march to the Roland Garros final, when she participated as a qualifier from the preliminary rounds last June, which was her second semi-final at the level of professional women’s tournaments in general, but she also achieved her first victory over a player among the top 20 players in the world.
Chwalinska's career in the French capital, Paris, witnessed three victories over players ranked between 21st and 24th in the world, namely: Mertens, the Russians Anna Kalinskaya, and Diana Schneider.
The victory over Mertens more than three months ago was one of Cwalinska's most dominant performances on clay courts at Roland Garros, where she then won 6-4, 6-0 in the second round.
Chwalinska repeated this performance brilliantly on the covered hard courts in Singapore, also contenting herself with losing only four games to her Belgian counterpart.
Cwalinska (24 years old) said in an interview on the field: “It is impossible to perform great every week. It is about continuity and hard work, and you must also be patient.”
The Polish player added: “I am happy because I maintained my patience and worked hard, and now my efforts are paying off.” “I've had a tough few weeks, so this success tastes very good, I have to admit.”
In the semi-finals, Chwalinska will face either the top seed, Russian Mira Andreeva, in a match that will be a repeat of the Roland Garros final, or the sixth seed, Canadian Leila Annie Fernandez, for the first time.
