Fifa President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 70th Ordinary Congress of the CONMEBOL in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on April 10, 2019. AFP
FIFA has not given its backing to reported plans for a closed European super league, its president Gianni Infantino said on Wednesday.
“FIFA is not backing any project,” Infantino said during a visit to Brussels, refusing to deny, however, that any talks had taken place on the subject by saying that football’s global governing body “discusses everything, with everybody”.
Infantino was questioned by reporters after the New York Times reported that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had spoken to him about creating a breakaway elite international league.
The report said the league could feature two divisions of 20 teams drawn from current national leagues, with the hope of winning a lucrative continental audience.
It would chiefly feature clubs from the leading five European leagues – England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France – but the Association of European Leagues has denounced the plan.
European football governing body UEFA has also criticised any plan that would undermine its Champions League.
The Association of European Leagues on Tuesday slammed the reported plans backed by Perez to create a closed Super League for the world’s richest clubs.
“We are getting very tired of all the threats coming from a few rich clubs in football. Threats that they are going to break away from the football ecosystem as we know it and create their own private environment,” said the organisation, which represents leagues across Europe, in a statement penned by its president, Lars-Christer Olsson.
“Professional club football is not a private business for a few where only the size of the pockets determines who is welcome,” said the European Leagues, before indicating that they would no longer be welcome in existing competitions – such as the Champions League – should a breakaway tournament be created.
“Football is a sport and not primarily a place for financial investment and commercial return.
“Of course, football must develop and move with the times according to the conditions in every corner of the world. Football must be prepared for reform when conditions change.
“However, the solution is not a closed league at the top of the pyramid in Europe and certainly not a closed shop on top of the world where only a few of the richest clubs are invited.”
