FIFA Super League: Infantino Discussed Governing Body’s Name on Breakaway

Fifa president Gianni Infantino held direct talks regarding the creation of a rebranded European Super League, going as far as reviewing a term sheet that proposed renaming the breakaway competition under Fifa’s own branding, according to documents revealed by the Guardian. The October 2020 term sheet details an administration deeply implicated in a project that later caused widespread fan revulsion when launched in April 2021.

Fifa Super League Term Sheet and Governance Rights

The October 2020 term sheet outlines a partnership of at least 12 years between Fifa and the Super League, featuring a joint venture to run commercial operations. According to the document, Fifa would have received a preferred equity stake carrying a “golden share,” granting global football’s governing body special governance rights. These rights included decision-making capabilities on format changes, calendar alterations, distribution of solidarity money, and the appointment of a chief executive for the competition.

The breakaway project proposed a league containing 15 permanent members and five clubs qualifying from existing competitions, alongside an unspecified future women’s equivalent using the same clubs. Within the document, Fifa was referred to as “WO1″—a term also used in the British army for a high-ranking officer. The text notes that the Super League “is open to discuss naming the competition WO1 SL.” Participating clubs would have been required to join the World Football Club Association (WFCA), a short-lived body launched by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez in 2019.

International Match Calendar and Bypassed Associations

Senior figures within European football were shocked by proposals to drastically shrink international windows into two fortnight-long spaces each year, according to source reporting. National member associations, many of which Infantino later courted for support amid leadership battles, risked losing commercial visibility and revenue. The term sheet states that a new international match calendar devised by Fifa, the Super League, and “other relevant stakeholders” would be reviewed and implemented with Fifa’s agreement.

While the document specifies that the new tournaments required passage through Fifa’s annual congress and the Fifa council, federations worldwide were bypassed during the formation of the plan. Real Madrid served as a key driver of the scheme before closing the door on the project through a February agreement with Uefa.

Collapse of Talks and Subsequent Distance

It remains unclear whether Infantino and Fifa advanced their role beyond the term-sheet stage. After a version of the scheme launched without Fifa’s direct involvement in April 2021 and collapsed amid large-scale protests, Infantino addressed the Uefa congress in Montreux to state that his organization could “only strongly disapprove the creation of the Super League.”

Multiple sources reported that an earlier conversation with Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, convened by a third party, hastened Fifa’s president in distancing himself from the venture. Infantino reportedly told associates afterward that he had no wish to work against football’s institutions. However, the unearthed term sheet and the separate Football Forward Enterprise scheme cast doubt on that assertion, pointing to repeated attempts to reshape the sport without consulting its most vital stakeholders.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was Fifa’s proposed role in the Super League?

According to the October 2020 term sheet, Fifa and the Super League planned a 12-year commercial partnership. Fifa was slated to receive a preferred equity stake and a “golden share” granting decision-making power over tournament formats, calendar changes, and executive appointments.

Did member associations approve the plans?

No. Federations around the world were bypassed during the formation of the plan, which proposed cutting back the number of international windows into two fortnight-long periods annually.

How did Gianni Infantino react when the Super League launched?

Following the public launch and subsequent collapse of the breakaway league in April 2021, Infantino told the Uefa congress in Montreux that Fifa could “only strongly disapprove the creation of the Super League,” following discussions with Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.