European Leagues chief demands FIFA future without Infantino

European Leagues chief Claudius Schafer has called for FIFA to move on from Gianni Infantino, arguing that meaningful reform of world football’s governing body requires a different president. Schafer also questioned whether Infantino should remain in office.

Schafer leads European Leagues, an organisation representing 53 professional men’s and women’s leagues across Europe. His criticism focuses on what he sees as the growing concentration of authority around FIFA’s president during Infantino’s leadership.

He said important decisions were being made without adequate involvement from the organisations and groups that would have to deal with their consequences. In his view, FIFA’s structure has increasingly limited consultation with football stakeholders, weakening confidence in its governance.

Schafer also raised FIFA’s decision to give its inaugural peace prize to former United States president Donald Trump. He argued that the decision should have been discussed more widely inside FIFA and said the organisation’s council was not informed before it was taken.

The European football official further framed the issue as a matter of Swiss law. FIFA is registered as an association under Swiss law, and Schafer said its president and board members must carry out their responsibilities carefully. He believes approving such a decision without informing the council could amount to a breach of those obligations.

The intervention adds to criticism of Infantino’s leadership from within the wider football community. Schafer’s position is that FIFA’s decision-making process has become too closely tied to its president and that restoring trust would require a change at the top rather than adjustments under the current leadership.