A contested vision for the future
FIFA’s current structure combines the organisation of the World Cup with the authority to set the rules of the game, a dual role that has repeatedly led to breaches of its own regulations during tournaments such as the 2023 edition.
Miguel Maduro, who once chaired FIFA’s governance committee, argues that the federation should be divided into separate corporate entities, each with its own incentives, to stop commercial interests from shaping the rule‑making process.
Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, has accumulated excessive control over both administration and funding, a concentration that critics say contravenes the intended governance framework and undermines accountability.
Mark Pieth and Aleksander Ceferin have suggested creating an independent oversight body, inspired by the World Anti‑Doping Agency, that would be answerable to an EU‑based sports agency. They also propose rotating the presidency among FIFA’s six continental confederations to curb the power of any single individual.
Nick McGeehan of Fair Square points out that FIFA’s financial audits are opaque and that the $15 billion in World Cup revenues are distributed equally, benefitting smaller nations like Montserrat and Gibraltar while neglecting larger markets such as Nigeria and India.
Ashish Prashar has floated the idea of a new entity formed by the confederations that would carry fan ownership, aiming to give the public a direct voice in World Cup and broader football governance. Miguel Maduro likewise calls for a more diverse electorate, one that reflects a wider range of football experience and stakeholder interests.