Football's global governing body, FIFA, is beyond reform and should be abolished and replaced with a new organisation, according to ethics expert Thomas Beschorner. Beschorner argues that despite the quality of play at this summer's World Cup, FIFA's ethical violations during the tournament and ongoing issues highlight deep-seated structural problems.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is currently facing accusations of abuse of office related to his re-election campaign. Additionally, FIFA, a private association under Swiss law, reportedly plans to further commercialise football by selling shares in a company managing the World Cup to investors.
The idea of fundamental reforms within FIFA is seen as unrealistic due to the organisation's concentrated power and governance structures, which offer little room for effective checks and balances. Ethics commissions within FIFA have historically been more symbolic than effective, with critical voices sometimes dismissed.
The current dispute over the commercial spin-off has intensified concerns, with major stakeholders expressing a lack of trust in FIFA's governance. UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation have shown solidarity against the proposal, with UEFA stating, "None of us owns football. It is not for Fifa to sell it."
Beschorner suggests that abolishing FIFA is a practical option, as it is an association of national football associations, any of which can terminate membership. He posits a scenario where powerful European associations, along with others like Argentina, Brazil, and Japan, could withdraw to establish a new world football association.