Premier League chief executive Richard Masters(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Premier League chief takes aim at FIFA over major Man City star claim

Fifa's expansion of international competitions and the Club World Cup has been met with fierce opposition from leagues across the continent.

15 Oct 2024, 10:10 by Lee Wilmot · football.london

Premier League chief Richard Masters has sounded the alarm, stressing that football is at "a tipping point" due to FIFA's relentless push to expand international competitions and the Club World Cup.

European Leagues and Fifpro have upped the ante against FIFA by lodging a formal complaint with the European Commission, accusing them of unauthorised meddling with the sports calendar—potentially scuppering FIFA's vision for a supersized 32-team Club World Cup the following summer.

The football community is on edge, with players threatening to strike over burnout fears induced by an ever-increasing number of matches.

"It is getting to a tipping point. The feedback we have from players is that there is too much football being played and there is constant expansion," Masters explained.

"The Premier League hasn’t changed shape. What has changed over the last few decades is the march of international and regional football competitions."

Manchester City skipper Rodri flashed a red signal last month about potential strike action by players rattled by the additional burden of matches. His own cautionary tale unfolded just days afterward when he sustained a grave knee injury, potentially knocking him out for the season.

FIFA’s ambition doesn't stop here—it has inflated the World Cup team pool from 32 to a whopping 48 for the 2026 showdown, along with plans to revamp next summer's Club World Cup into a larger event. Not to be outdone, UEFA too has padded the roster and fixture list in club tournaments, including the coveted Champions League.

Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Italy’s Serie A, has criticised FIFA and UEFA for their constant increase in the size of their competitions. He said: "Fifa and Uefa, cycle after cycle, have increased constantly the size of their competitions for both clubs and national teams and we have now reached a saturation point in the calendar," He also pointed out that unlike FIFA, UEFA had strong consultation with all stakeholders before deciding on any reform.

The injury of Rodri has been cited as an example of the strain FIFA's calendar puts on footballers. "FIFA imposed their new format and competitions without any discussion, consultation and without accepting to have any form of relationship with the other competitions organisers," he added.

This comes after the European Court of Justice ruled against FIFA and its transfer regulations in a case brought by former player Lassana Diarra. The same lawyer who won this case, Jean-Louis Dupont, has been instructed by the European Leagues and Fifpro.

They said in a joint statement: "FIFA’s rules and conduct fall well short of what is required by EU law, and harm the economic interests of national leagues, and the health and safety of players in European football."

They concluded that a legal challenge before the European Commission has become necessary to protect the European football sector.