A previously unrevealed term sheet from October 2020 shows Fifa president Gianni Infantino discussed rebranding the ill-fated European breakaway competition as the 'Fifa Super League', according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- The Guardian reports a term sheet dated October 2020 proposed renaming a new competition under Fifa's branding.
- The document indicates Fifa staff were involved in the project.
- Fifa was reportedly prepared to sideline its member associations.
- The plan included cutting back the number of international windows.
- Fifa would reportedly have been given special governance and political rights via a 'golden share'.
According to the Guardian, Fifa president Gianni Infantino held talks about rebranding the ill-fated European breakaway competition as the ‘Fifa Super League’, with negotiations reaching as far as a term sheet for a potential agreement.
The Guardian reports that a term sheet dated October 2020 proposed renaming any new competition under Fifa’s branding, and that its full contents can be revealed for the first time.
The document, as reported by the outlet, outlines the extent to which Infantino’s administration was implicated in a scheme that caused widespread revulsion among fans and led to clubs being excluded in April 2021.
The Guardian reports that the term sheet reveals Fifa was prepared to sideline its member associations in pushing plans to cut back the number of international windows.
The document also outlines how global football’s governing body would have been given special governance and political rights through a so-called ‘golden share’, according to the Guardian.
The reporting sheds new light on Fifa’s involvement in negotiations that the outlet says reached the stage of a term sheet for an agreement that would have changed the face of European football.
Why it matters
The Guardian's reporting suggests that football's global governing body was closely involved in plans for a breakaway competition that provoked fierce opposition from fans in 2021. If accurate, the documents raise questions about Fifa's stated commitment to its member associations and the traditional structure of the game.
Frequently asked questions
What was the 'Fifa Super League'?
According to the Guardian, it refers to a proposal to rebrand the failed European breakaway competition under Fifa's branding, discussed in a term sheet dated October 2020.
What is the 'golden share' mentioned in the document?
The Guardian reports that the term sheet outlined how Fifa would have been given special governance and political rights through a 'golden share'.
When did the European breakaway competition collapse?
The Guardian notes the scheme caused widespread revulsion among fans and clubs were excluded in April 2021.