By Paul Nicholson in Zurich
February 26 – FIFA found out yesterday that it had a new stakeholder. The World League Forum officially announced its formation with French Football League President Frédéric Thiriez (pictured), saying: “We want to participate constructively in the reconstruction of FIFA.” The new groups aim is a seat on FIFA’s new governing council.
The World League Forum currently has 24 members, including the English Premier League, La Liga in Spain, LigaMX in Mexico and the Bundesliga, as well as leagues in Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania.
It aims to “develop modern, effective governance within world football”. The Leagues have agreed to a three-member management group initially comprised of Enrique Bonilla (LigaMX), Christian Seifert (Bundesliga) and Thiriez.
The objective of the WLF is to help develop club leagues throughout the world by sharing knowledge and exchanging ideas on best practices. Any league can join the association provided they are the top-level competition in their particular country.
“We are the voice of professional football and we want to participate in the decision making process at international level,” said Thiriez.
“No decision should be made without us because we represent professional football.”
It seems there is perhaps a bit of a battle to represent professional football with the clubs in Europe already having a very vocal body in the form of the European Club Association chaired by Bayern Munich’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and players union FIFPro similarly engaged with FIFA in discussions affecting their members.
Thiriez said:”We have to help rebuild FIFA and we can help with our experience. Our intention is to work closely with the new President and chief executive, whoever that might be, and we would work in a constructive way.”
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