Premier League CEO Richard Masters said that FIFA President Gianni Infantino, “pressed the self-destruct button” with his now-abandoned plan to open the game up to private investment.
The head of the world’s most powerful national club league has joined those calling for a review of FIFA’s governance, as Infantino seeks re-election in March 2027. The Italian-Swiss politician has faced widespread criticism for proposing to open FIFA to private investors before ultimately backing down.
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“This is a problem that FIFA created,” Masters told the BBC, adding: “It’s a wound they inflicted on themselves. The organization pressed the self-destruct button, and the consequences of that action are now affecting the solutions that need to be found. I don’t think FIFA should consider selling any of its World Cup shares. It is a nonprofit organization. I think it’s a bad idea, and the English Football Association took the right stance regarding Gianni.”
It should be noted that the English Football Association, echoing the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), has criticized FIFA’s governance, deeming it nontransparent.
Nevertheless, a candidate capable of defeating Infantino has yet to emerge: “I think a candidate to lead the emerging federation should include FIFA reform in their platform, perhaps even reshaping the role of the president and the way he relates to these issues,” the British official noted.
*photo source: AP
