The leagues are urging FIFA to establish a permanent body representing key stakeholders, including national associations, leagues, clubs, and players, to give them a real role in decision-making. This body must be fully informed about new initiatives and have a meaningful role in FIFA's decision-making process. The agreement of stakeholder groups directly affected by a decision must be required for decisions concerning, among other matters, the calendar, employment, competitions, and football's core assets.
FIFA's governance problem goes far beyond the role of one individual, and the leagues are calling for a new governance structure that is transparent, objective, proportionate, and inclusive. They want FIFA to ensure evidence-based decision-making, with major proposals beginning with a clearly defined rationale, supporting evidence, and an independent assessment. The leagues also want FIFA to protect its regulatory role from its commercial function, with robust institutional safeguards to preserve trust, legitimacy, and accountability.
The leagues are encouraging candidates for the FIFA presidency to endorse these principles and convene an independently chaired Governance Convention representing member associations and the wider football community. They are also calling for all candidates to publish their own reform programme, debate its contents, and adhere to fair election rules.