Premier League chief executive Richard Masters says FIFA has “pressed the self-destruct button” by attempting to sell a stake in the commercial and ticketing rights to its competitions, including the World Cup.
Gianni Infantino’s plan to establish a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was later abandoned after strong opposition from several confederations, led by UEFA. The proposal would have seen 21% of the company sold to a private investment firm.
UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, while the English Football Association has withdrawn its support for Infantino, who is scheduled to stand for a fourth term as FIFA president in March.
Masters backed the FA’s position and called for a new candidate who could unite football’s governing bodies.
“This is a problem of FIFA’s making,” Masters told BBC Sport.
“This is a self-inflicted wound. The organisation has pressed the self-destruct button, and the consequence of that flow into the solutions that need to be found.”
Masters was speaking before the new Premier League season begins on Friday, when champions Arsenal host promoted Coventry.
Pressure on Infantino
UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accused FIFA and Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” in an open letter issued last week.
The letter was signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three confederations and said the controversy surrounding FFE was ultimately about “the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it”.
Infantino received backing from senior executives at a meeting in Morocco earlier this month. The confederations representing Africa, South America and Oceania have also supported him.
No candidate has yet declared an intention to stand against Infantino before the 18 November deadline. Masters did not identify anyone who might challenge him, but said he hoped a “unity candidate” could emerge.
“I think an emerging unity candidate should have on his or her agenda reform of Fifa, and perhaps even reform of the president’s role and how it interacts with those things,” he said.
Masters said FIFA should not consider selling part of the World Cup, arguing that the tournament should be protected for the long-term benefit of the sport.
“I don’t think the Fifa should be ever contemplating selling off a stake in the World Cup,” Masters told BBC Sport.
“They’re a not-for-profit organisation. They should really be holding that competition in trust for the future of football.
“I think it’s a bad idea, and the FA have taken the right position regards to Gianni [Infantino].”
Masters questions red-card decision
The recent World Cup in North America was won by European champions Spain, who beat Argentina in the final.
The tournament was also overshadowed by controversy surrounding the suspension of a red-card ban given to United States striker Folarin Balogun.
Balogun was sent off for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during the co-hosts’ 2-0 victory in their last-32 tie. After United States president Donald Trump asked FIFA to review the automatic one-match suspension, the ban was suspended for a year.
That enabled Balogun to play against Belgium in the last 16, although the United States lost 4-1.
“We worry that about that particular episode, and of course we don’t know what happens,” Masters said.
“I don’t understand why Fifa doesn’t have a very straightforward red card review process in place, like we do in the Premier League, for example. That I think would have been much a better way to proceed.
“Generally speaking, Fifa is supposed to uphold non-political inference within the game of football. In fact, it’s part of its promise that it won’t allow it to happen in the rest of the game. So I think it’s a big issue, and it needs to be thought through properly.”
New managers and changing Premier League landscape
There will be a record nine new permanent managers beginning the Premier League season.
Defending champions Arsenal have continuity with Mikel Arteta, while Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have appointed Enzo Maresca, Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso respectively.
Masters was also asked whether the Premier League remained the preferred destination for elite players after Spain midfielder Rodri moved from Manchester City to Barcelona. That followed Anthony Gordon’s switch from Newcastle to the Spanish club.
“Well, if you look at the top 100 players in the world independently ranked, the Premier League has nearly half of them,” he said.
“There are 13 English players among them and 11 play in the Premier League, so I’m absolutely sure we’ve got world class talent to put out on the pitch.
“Of course, stars come and go, and the Premier League hasn’t really always been about stars. It’s been about clubs. It’s been about squads. It’s been about success.
“Heroes come and go and I think, a bit like the managers, we are seeing a bit of a change of the guard in that regard as well.
“I’m absolutely confident that what people are going to see is is a fantastic competition.”
Chelsea sanction and Manchester City case
Chelsea were fined £10m last month and given a suspended ban on registering new players for two transfer windows after breaching rules concerning payments to agents between 2009 and 2022.
The club’s six-point deduction, which had been suspended until 30 June 2027, was set aside on appeal.
Chelsea admitted making £47m in secret payments to unregistered agents and third parties in transfers between 2011 and 2018. Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital self-reported 74 breaches of Football Association rules after buying the club in 2022.
The punishment was criticised by some as too lenient, particularly because Everton and Nottingham Forest were both given points deductions for breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules in 2024.
Masters said Chelsea’s case was different because it concerned historic matters and the club’s new owners had provided the information.
“In the situation withChelsea, obviously it’s historic. It’s very different to PSR cases,” Masters said.
“In the case ofChelsea, the new owners came forward with all the information, and we decided to enter a sanction agreement.
“That sanction agreement was overseen by a commission as well, and part of the role of the commission is to assure that that sanction is not unduly lenient.
“I think the key difference is, given the evidence base and given the lack of witnesses, none of the people involved with these payments are still at the club, we were not able to interview them, the evidence base isn’t complete.
“The alternative to entering the sanction agreement was to go down a contested commission route. I’m not sure we’d have been able to bring all of the charges that the club ultimately admitted to, or be successful in getting them, so I don’t think there was an easy choice for the board to make.
“We took a decision that the sanction agreement was the best thing for the league, and we’re fully aware that not everyone agrees that that was the right course of action, and we just have to accept that.”
Manchester City are still awaiting the outcome of their case after being charged with more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules following a four-year investigation.
An independent commission has yet to publish its ruling, more than a year and a half after the disciplinary hearing ended. Manchester City have always denied wrongdoing.
“I do accept it’s taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what’s going on, but I simply can’t provide that,” Masters said.
“Our rules are very clear – we have to follow the process, and there’s only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion.”
