'Change is necessary' - players unite against Fifa

What the report says

Current and former footballers have publicly lined up against Fifa president Gianni Infantino, saying the governing body needs “change” and more accountability. According to BBC Sport Football, the statement was posted on X by former Manchester United and France defender Mikael Silvestre, who serves on Fifa’s Players’ Voice Panel, and was then shared by players and ex-players including England defender Lucy Bronze, France World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit and former England goalkeeper David James.

The message comes amid growing criticism of Infantino’s leadership and his reported plan to sell stakes in competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. The players said football has drifted from its core values and argued that major decisions have too often been made without proper consultation with players or consideration of supporters. They called for structural reform at Fifa and for players and fans to have a direct role in how the sport is run.

BBC Sport said the intervention is notable because it comes from within a Fifa-created panel originally set up to advise on racism in the game. The article also placed the statement in a wider period of pressure on Infantino, with opposition from Uefa and several national associations. As background, Fifa is football’s global governing body and its president has significant influence over tournament structures, commercial strategy and the sport’s international governance.