April 13 – The European Leagues body met for the first time under the leadership of its recently elected Swiss president Claudius Schäfer last Friday. Schäfer wasted no time, coming out of his swinging with FIFA’s fast growing and ambitions as a competition organizer the target of his punches.
Schäfer (pictured) reiterated his predecessor’s demands that FIFA immediately included all the stakeholders in a “detailed study” of the impact FIFA’s new competition schedules will have on the game in domestic markets that, without which, FIFA would fail to exist.
“The expansion of international club competitions has made this season a game-changer for football in which the competitive balance and future health of the domestic game are challenged,” said Schäfer.
The European Leagues body argues that there is a major conflict of interest between FIFA’s role as a Governing body and its ambitions as a competition organiser, and the inevitable impact that will have on domestic leagues. Something that FIFA has show zero regard for and who the world governing body have refused to recognise or invite to the strategy and planning discussions.
Multiple court cases against FIFA at EU level are demanding a transparent, objective, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria to manage the International Match calendar.
FIFA’s response has been to buy off the clubs with record prize money for what is in essence a second tier Club World Cup – most of the world’s biggest clubs are in pre-season with few wanting to risk their highly paid stars before they are fit for action for the competition season ahead. FIFA looks to be using Saudi Arabian money via its over-inflated broadcast deal of $900 million+ DAZN – a deal that, if there were associated party transaction rules for competition organisers, would be outlawed over its hugely inflated value. Great for a few clubs, not so great for football, argues the European Leagues.
“It is well known that all European Leagues members are facing scheduling challenges and player unions have been raising concerns about the decline in player welfare. But we are also concerned about the distortive impact that the vast increase in prize money at international level is having on the competitive balance of domestic football,” said Schäfer.
“This competitive balance is coveted by fans who want to believe that any club can dream of rising through their domestic pyramid and into international competitions.”
“We are therefore calling on FIFA to compile a detailed study, in partnership with stakeholders across the game, that analyses the impact of their expanded competitions on the development of domestic football. This research will help us to understand the calendar management criteria and equitable financial distribution required to improve the balance between international and domestic football so that the industry can thrive long into the future.”
The European Leagues have a joint legal complaint, with players’ union FIFPRO Europe, against FIFA to the European Commission over its management of the International Match Calendar. FIFA keeps upping the ante but, for after years of generally taking a back seat on the international calendar, are in no mood to back down without serious concessions and a place in all calendar discussions.
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