Council of Europe chief says FIFA row exposes wider problems in football governance

The dispute between UEFA and FIFA is not about football itself but about how the sport is governed, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has said.

Speaking to the European edition of Politico, Berset said UEFA’s reported decision to boycott FIFA-backed tournaments was a debate about “rules” and who has the authority to set and enforce them, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Football does not need a shareholder. It needs rules,” he said.

Berset argued that football should be governed by clear principles rather than commercial interests, saying the sport “does not need a shareholder” but “needs rules”.

His comments come amid growing tensions between European football officials and FIFA over plans to change the commercial structure of the World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reportedly explored selling a share of the tournament’s commercial rights to private investors, a move the organisation said could bring in around $4.2bn. The proposal has drawn criticism from football officials and governing bodies concerned about transparency and decision-making.

Berset also pointed to wider concerns over FIFA’s governance, citing the lifting of a suspension involving United States striker Folarin Balogun after a reported conversation between US President Donald Trump and Infantino.

UEFA has since announced that it would boycott tournaments organised by FIFA, with all 55 of its member associations backing the move. The proposal has also faced opposition from CONCACAF, the football confederation representing North and Central America and the Caribbean.

By Aghakazim Guliyev