Gianni Infantino engaged in discussions regarding the rebranding of the controversial European breakaway initiative known as the “Fifa Super League.” These negotiations advanced to a term sheet that, if realized, could have significantly altered the landscape of European football.
The term sheet, now being disclosed for the first time, is dated October 2020 and suggests rebranding any new competition under the Fifa name. It outlines the involvement of Infantino’s administration in a scheme that was met with strong opposition from fans and excluded clubs back in April 2021. Additionally, it indicates that Fifa was willing to marginalize its member associations to promote plans aimed at reducing the number of international match windows, while also detailing how the governing body of global football would secure special governance rights, referred to as a “golden share.”
This revelation comes at a time when the football community is still reeling from the aftermath of Infantino’s decision to abandon his proposal to sell parts of the World Cup to private investors. The document underscores Fifa’s leadership’s deep involvement in yet another endeavor to bring major football competitions under corporate control. It outlines a partnership lasting at least 12 years between Fifa and the Super League and suggests a joint venture to manage commercial operations.
Furthermore, the document proposes an annual version of Fifa’s expanded Club World Cup, termed the “global club competition,” to be held over a designated three-week period and closely associated with the Super League. This tournament was envisioned as a knockout format rather than the group format set to relaunch in 2025. Although the term sheet specifies that the new competitions would need approval from Fifa’s annual congress and the Fifa council, it appears that federations worldwide were largely excluded from the planning process.
Infantino, along with several Fifa officials, was reportedly involved in the project and was fully aware of its development. The term sheet indicates that the founding clubs aimed to finalize partnership terms between the Super League and Fifa, which would lead to the establishment of both competitions. This followed an initial proposal submitted to Fifa by the breakaway clubs, which has also been reviewed by the Guardian, outlining a potential agreement framework. While the term sheet is non-binding, it typically precedes a formal contract, suggesting that discussions between Fifa and the Super League’s founders were advancing towards a conclusion.
It remains uncertain whether Infantino and Fifa moved beyond the term sheet stage in this initiative. After a version of the Super League was controversially launched without Fifa’s direct involvement in April 2021, leading to its eventual collapse amid significant protests, Infantino addressed Uefa’s congress in Montreux, expressing strong disapproval of the Super League’s creation. Several sources indicate that an earlier conversation he had with Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin, facilitated by a third party, prompted Infantino to distance himself from the new venture. Subsequently, he reportedly expressed a desire not to act against the established football institutions.
However, the existence of Fifa’s draft agreement with the Super League, coupled with Infantino’s failed Football Forward Enterprise initiative, casts doubt on the sincerity of his claims and suggests persistent efforts to reshape the sport without adequate consultation with key stakeholders. The proposed league would have included 15 permanent members and an additional five clubs qualifying from existing competitions. It also committed to establishing a women’s equivalent, utilizing the same clubs, by an unspecified date. The term sheet referred to Fifa using the designation “WO1,” a title used in the British military for a senior officer.
In a key section detailing the agreement’s main components, it states that the Super League “is open to discuss naming the competition WO1 SL.” It also confirms that Fifa would receive a preferred equity stake in the Super League, granting it decision-making authority over format changes, calendar adjustments, the distribution of solidarity funds, and the appointment of a chief executive for the competition.
Prominent figures within European football have expressed shock at the proposal to significantly reduce the number of international windows, consolidating them into two fortnight-long periods each year. Member associations, many of whom are being courted for support by Infantino as he seeks to secure his position this week, may have lost potential commercial benefits from increased visibility for their national teams and found themselves subject to a privately operated club competition.
Additionally, the earlier proposal notes discussions about a “reduction of leagues.” The term sheet indicates that a “new international match calendar” would be developed by Fifa, the Super League, and “other relevant stakeholders,” to be reviewed and implemented with Fifa’s approval.
Clubs taking part in the Super League would have been required to join the World Football Club Association (WFCA), a short-lived body initiated by Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez in 2019. Real Madrid was a significant proponent of the Super League initiative, ultimately withdrawing from the project only after reaching an agreement with Uefa in February of this year.
Fifa’s closeness to the Super League proposal adds to the growing list of privately backed initiatives introduced by Infantino during his decade-long presidency. In 2018, he advocated for a $25 billion proposal from SoftBank, the Japanese investment firm, aimed at establishing an expanded Club World Cup and a global Nations League. Close advisors within Fifa reportedly cautioned against this plan, which ultimately did not materialize.
