Report: Infantino apparently planned takeover of the European Super League

The idea of a European Super League is not new: as early as 2021, twelve major European clubs had announced the founding of such a league. The plan failed at the time after massive protests from fans, players and national associations. Uefa President Aleksandar Čeferin had sharply condemned the initiative.

In addition to the financing plans, the research also reports on a potential area of conflict within the sports organization. Accordingly, senior advisers of the project in Canada are said not to have been involved in the plans at the time of the negotiations. Carney declared that he had lost confidence after learning that senior advisers to the abandoned initiative had not been consulted.

Infantino's statutory situation

Infantino himself has been at the top of Fifa since 2016. In March 2027, according to his own statements, he wants to run for a third and, according to the statutes, final term as Fifa President. This requires a two-thirds majority of 141 votes out of a total of 211 member associations in the first round of voting at the Fifa Congress.

The reports raise questions about the future direction of world football. Critics see a Super League controlled by Fifa as a threat to national leagues and cup competitions. Supporters argue that Fifa could secure a larger share of TV and marketing revenues with its own platform.

At the same time, Infantino is under international pressure. In Morocco, Fifa is reportedly preparing the next congress, which is also expected to address structural reforms. It remains unclear whether the uncovered plans for the Super League will be discussed there.

Reactions and open questions

Uefa is also watching the developments with suspicion. The European association has clearly positioned itself in the past against any form of a closed league. Insiders expect that Čeferin and his allies could use the revelations for a political dispute with Infantino.

Observers in Zurich see the revelations as a further sign of a phase of uncertainty in world football. Next year's Fifa Congress could thus become not only a ballot box, but also a decision on the direction of the future of international match operations.

The developments have a direct impact on the economic structure of professional football. A platform controlled by Fifa would fundamentally change the distribution of billions in revenue and readjust the position of established national leagues, particularly in Europe.

From a legal perspective, the situation is complex according to experts. If plans were indeed pursued in the direction of an own league, antitrust issues surrounding market allocation and competition restrictions could play a central role. The admissibility under EU antitrust law is also in question.

For now, it remains open how Fifa will publicly respond to the allegations. The coming weeks are likely to show whether the sports organization will dismiss the reports as unfounded or whether it will muster a substantive response.