Gianni Infantino was involved in discussions to rebrand the proposed European breakaway competition as the "Fifa Super League", according to a term sheet dated October 2020. The document outlines a potential 12-year partnership between Fifa and the Super League, including joint commercial operations and special governance rights for Fifa through a "golden share". It proposed renaming the competition under Fifa's branding, referred to as "WO1 SL", and aligning it with an annual "global club competition" replacing the Club World Cup in a straight knockout format. The plan would have reduced international match windows and required Super League clubs to join the World Football Club Association led by Real Madrid's Florentino Pérez. Fifa's member associations were not consulted in the drafting, though approval from the Fifa Congress and Council would have been required. The term sheet followed an initial proposal from the breakaway clubs and, while non-binding, indicated advanced negotiations. After the Super League collapsed in April 2021 due to fan protests, Infantino publicly disapproved its creation, stating Fifa opposed the venture. However, multiple sources confirm Infantino was aware of the project's progress and had distanced himself only after a conversation with Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin. The document also commits to launching a women's Super League using the same clubs, though no date is specified.
Infantino's administration negotiated a golden share and rebranding rights for a private football league while bypassing member federations. This raises questions about who Fifa serves when shaping global football's future.
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