World football does not have an owner.

Its rules are made by private membership associations: FIFA, the six continental confederations, national associations and, separately, IFAB. Their leaders are elected mainly by football institutions, not by supporters or players, and their authority comes from control of recognized competitions, registrations, transfers and commercial rights.

This guide explains who holds that power, how money and World Cup access are distributed, and why the failed 2021 breakaway changed the legal limits on football governance.

Dedication: to the players who put the shirt before the market

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At the top sits FIFA, whose 211 member associations elect its president and approve its statutes and accounts. Beneath, and alongside it, are six continental confederations. Each national association then governs recognized football in its country or territory, usually through leagues, regional associations and clubs.

This system is formally democratic, but indirectly so. Supporters do not vote for the FIFA president. Players do not collectively choose the UEFA president. The decisive votes are mainly cast by national football associations, whose leaders are selected under widely varying national systems.

That distinction explains almost everything: why FIFA and UEFA are so powerful despite being private organizations; how Gianni Infantino and Aleksander Čeferin reach office; why development grants matter politically; and why the European Super League became both a commercial failure and a landmark legal case.

This article covers the principal institutional, financial and competition developments from 2021 to 4 August 2026, with historical background where necessary. Status note: Last fact-checked on 5 August 2026. Leadership positions, competition formats, financial allocations and legal disputes can change; key claims below link to primary sources where available.

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The world football system in one minute

Question	Clear answer
Who owns FIFA?	Nobody in the shareholder sense. FIFA is a membership association governed by 211 national associations.
Is FIFA a government body?	No. It is a private, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit association under Swiss law.
Is UEFA part of FIFA?	UEFA is recognized by FIFA but is a separate legal organization, not a FIFA department or subsidiary.
Who governs the continents?	AFC (Asian Football Confederation), CAF (Confédération Africaine de Football / African Football Confederation), Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football), CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation), OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) and UEFA (Union of European Football Associations).
Who governs football inside a country?	The FIFA-recognised national football association, sometimes working with a separately organized professional league.
Who elects FIFA’s president?	Delegates from eligible FIFA member associations, each normally carrying one vote.
Who sets the Laws of the Game?	The International Football Association Board, or IFAB, not FIFA acting alone.
Who represents clubs and players?	Organizations such as European Football Clubs, European Leagues and FIFPRO. They influence policy but are not governing federations.
What is A22?	A private Spanish company that promoted the Super League and later the Unify League, not a governing body.

The formal structure resembles a pyramid, but it is more accurately understood as a network of private membership contracts. Clubs affiliate to associations and leagues; national associations join confederations and FIFA; players are registered within that system. Membership gives access to recognized competitions, transfers, refereeing structures and international football.

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NGO, NPO, association: what do these words actually mean?

These labels answer different questions.

• NGO, or non-governmental organization, means that an organization is not part of a government.
• NPO, nonprofit, or not-for-profit typically means there are no shareholders entitled to take the organization’s surplus as dividends. Income must be used for the organization’s purposes.
• Association describes a member-based legal structure. Its members exercise rights under statutes, usually through a congress or general assembly.

The same organization can therefore be an NGO, an NPO and an association at the same time.

That does not make it a charity. A not-for-profit sports association can generate billions, pay substantial salaries, own commercial subsidiaries, build reserves and sell broadcasting, sponsorship, hospitality and licensing rights. “Not-for-profit” describes where the money is ultimately supposed to go, not how little money the organization may generate.

Both FIFA and UEFA describe themselves as not-for-profit associations under Swiss law. Their financial reporting also covers commercial companies and subsidiaries established to conduct particular activities. FIFA’s accounting policies and UEFA’s financial statements make this distinction visible.

The governing bodies: legal form and founders

Organisation	What it is legally	Who founded it?
FIFA	Swiss private-law, not-for-profit association headquartered in Zurich	Founded in Paris on 21 May 1904 by the associations of Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, plus Madrid FC representing Spain. Robert Guérin convened the founders and became the first president. FIFA history
UEFA	Swiss private-law, not-for-profit association headquartered in Nyon	Created in Basel on 15 June 1954, with 28 European associations involved. Ottorino Barassi, José Crahay and Henri Delaunay were its principal pioneers. UEFA history
CONMEBOL	Paraguayan private-law, nonprofit civil association	Founded in Buenos Aires in 1916 by Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. Héctor Rivadavia Gómez was the central organizer. CONMEBOL statutes
AFC	Society registered in Malaysia under the Societies Act	Founded in Manila on 8 May 1954 by representatives of Asian football associations. Sir Man Kam Loh became its first president. AFC history
CAF	International non-governmental organization with legal personality, based in Cairo	Founded in Khartoum on 8 February 1957 by Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa. Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem became its first president. CAF history
Concacaf	Bahamian not-for-profit membership entity, legally domiciled in Nassau with its main office in Miami	Formed in Mexico in 1961 by merging the North American and Central American-Caribbean confederations. It had 13 founding associations. Concacaf history
OFC	Incorporated society under New Zealand law, based in Auckland	Created in 1966 by Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Charles Dempsey played the leading organizational role. OFC history

The founders did not receive shares. Founder status is historical, not ownership. Today’s members govern through the organizations’ current statutes.

Australia, for example, remains an OFC founder even though it left Oceania and joined the AFC in 2006.

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Not every football organization is a federation

Several influential organizations are often mistaken for governing bodies.

Organisation	What it actually is	What it can—and cannot—do
IFAB	Independent Swiss association founded in 1886 by the English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish associations; FIFA joined in 1913	It changes the Laws of the Game. The four British associations hold one vote each and FIFA holds four; six of eight votes are required. IFAB structure
European Football Clubs, formerly ECA	Swiss membership association representing more than 800 European clubs	Represents clubs in negotiations and elects two UEFA Executive Committee representatives. It does not organize national teams or award UEFA places. EFC membership
European Leagues	Swiss association representing domestic professional leagues	Represents league interests and elects one UEFA Executive Committee representative. European Leagues
FIFPRO	Dutch-law international federation of footballers’ unions	Represents players in employment, workload and governance discussions. It does not regulate competitions. FIFPRO
A22 Sports Management	Spanish private limited company	Commercial adviser and promoter of the Super League and Unify League projects. It has no regulatory jurisdiction. A22
European Superleague Company	Spanish private company established by the original Super League clubs	Legal vehicle for the proposed competition and the litigation against FIFA and UEFA.
Domestic leagues	Legal form varies: company, association or part of a federation	Organize domestic competitions under national rules. Some are owned by their participating clubs.
Football clubs	Can be member-owned associations, private companies, listed companies or hybrid structures	Run teams and businesses but enter recognized competitions through association and league membership.

The legal diversity is striking. Barcelona is a member-owned nonprofit club. Manchester United is controlled through a publicly listed company. Bayern Munich’s member association owns 75% of its football company. The Premier League is a private company whose 20 clubs are shareholders, while the English FA holds a special share.

Football is therefore not one nonprofit organization. It is an ecosystem containing nonprofit associations, unions, member-owned clubs, privately owned clubs and conventional commercial companies.

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Who appoints the “bosses”?

The word boss hides two different jobs.

The president or chair is normally the elected political and strategic leader. The secretary-general or CEO is typically the appointed professional executive who oversees staff and day-to-day operations.

FIFA, UEFA and all six confederations

Organisation	Current political head	Who elects the president?	Who appoints the operational head?
FIFA	Gianni Infantino, current term 2023–27	FIFA Congress: up to 211 eligible national associations, one vote each. A candidate for FIFA president must be proposed by at least five member associations.	The FIFA Council appoints the secretary-general on the president’s proposal. Current secretary-general: Mattias Grafström. FIFA Statutes
UEFA	Aleksander Čeferin, term to 2027	UEFA Congress: 55 national associations, one vote each. A candidate requires support from at least three associations.	The Executive Committee appoints the general secretary on the president’s proposal. Current general secretary: Theodore Theodoridis. UEFA Statutes
AFC	Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, term to 2027	AFC Congress, with each eligible member association normally holding one vote. He was re-elected unopposed in 2023.	Executive Committee on the president’s proposal. Current general secretary: Windsor John. AFC Statutes
CAF	Patrice Motsepe, term to 2029	General Assembly of 54 associations. He was re-elected unopposed in 2025.	Executive Committee on the president’s proposal. Samson Adamu is acting general secretary while CAF recruits a permanent successor. CAF Statutes
Concacaf	Victor Montagliani, term to 2027	Congress of 41 member associations, including six that are not FIFA members. He was re-elected by acclamation in 2023.	Concacaf Council. Current general secretary: Philippe Moggio. Concacaf Statutes
CONMEBOL	Alejandro Domínguez, re-elected for the cycle ending at the 2031 Congress	Its ten national-association presidents are the presidential-election delegates. A majority is required.	The president appoints the secretary-general with the Council’s agreement. Current secretary-general: José Astigarraga. CONMEBOL Statutes
OFC	Lambert Maltock, term to 2027	Congress of 11 ordinary member associations. He was re-elected unopposed in 2023.	OFC Executive Committee. Frederic Guillemont is acting general secretary. OFC Statutes

What these elections really mean

They are membership elections, not public elections.

Germany and San Marino each have one vote at UEFA Congress. Brazil and Bolivia each have one vote at CONMEBOL. At FIFA Congress, France, Fiji and the Faroe Islands each normally possess one vote.

That principle protects small associations from domination by the richest football markets. It also means that development policy, regional relationships and promises made to smaller associations can be decisive in presidential politics.

Several present confederation presidents were returned without opponents. Election by acclamation is legal, but it is not the same as a competitive contest.

FIFA’s 37-member Council is also indirectly assembled. The FIFA president is elected by FIFA Congress, while most vice-presidents and Council members are elected by national associations at their respective confederation congresses.

UEFA’s Executive Committee is broader than a purely national-association board. In addition to its president and 16 Congress-elected members, it now includes two representatives elected by European Football Clubs, one from European Leagues and one from FIFPRO Europe, all subject to Congress ratification. UEFA’s current structure

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Who elects national and local football leaders?

There is no single worldwide rule for 211 national associations.

The usual model is:

clubs and regional bodies → delegates → national congress → president and board → appointed CEO or secretary-general

But the identity and voting weight of those delegates differ dramatically.

Country	Legal and electoral model	Who appoints the executive?
England	The Football Association Limited is a private company. The FA chair is nominated through a nomination process, appointed by the Board, and then subject to shareholder ratification. National Game and Professional Game constituencies choose board representatives. County associations, leagues and other football bodies supply the wider representative structure. FA Articles	The FA Board appoints and can remove the CEO. England, therefore, does not use a conventionally elected executive president.
Germany	The DFB is a registered association. Its Bundestag combines delegates from five regional associations, 21 state associations, the professional league and DFB bodies. It elects the president and governing organs. Bernd Neuendorf was unanimously re-elected in 2025. DFB Congress	The newly elected Presidium appointed secretary-general Holger Blask on the president’s proposal.
Spain	The RFEF is a private nonprofit association that exercises certain public functions delegated by Spanish law. Its 142-member Assembly includes presidents of autonomous associations and elected representatives of clubs, players, referees, and coaches. It elects and can remove the RFEF president. Rafael Louzán was elected in 2024. RFEF Assembly	The RFEF president designates and may dismiss the secretary-general. Election regulations are subject to state procedural oversight, but the government does not name the winner.
United States	U.S. Soccer is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its National Council uses weighted constituencies: athletes hold 33.3% of the vote, while the Youth, Adult and Professional Councils each hold 20%. The Council elects the president and vice-president. Cindy Parlow Cone was re-elected in 2026. U.S. Soccer bylaws	The CEO/secretary-general is an employee rather than an elected officer. The Board renewed JT Batson’s contract in 2026.
France	Since the 2024 reform, the electoral voice is divided broadly into thirds: amateur clubs, professional clubs and territorial football officials. The electoral assembly selects a list that includes the president and most of the Executive Committee members. FFF electoral assembly	Professional management is appointed under the authority of the elected Executive Committee.

What happens below national level?

Local systems also vary.

• In Germany, clubs participate through district and state associations, whose delegates then feed into the national DFB structure.
• In Spain, autonomous community federations have their own assemblies, elected sector representatives, and presidents.
• In the United States, state associations generally have their own bylaws and elections, with affiliated clubs or leagues voting.
• In England, County FAs are separate affiliated bodies governed by their own articles. Some chairs are selected through board and nominations procedures rather than direct club elections.

Other countries treat regional offices as internal administrative zones. In those cases, a national or regional board may appoint the local director.

Therefore, it would be incorrect to claim that every local football leader is elected. The answer depends on whether the local body is an independent member association or merely an administrative branch.

Can governments appoint football leaders?

Normally, no.

Governments may regulate legal registration, funding, safeguarding, financial conduct and election procedures. Some federations exercise public functions delegated by law. But FIFA requires its members to manage football affairs independently and without undue outside interference.

In exceptional crises, the FIFA Council, after consultation with the relevant confederation, can temporarily replace a national executive with a normalization committee. Its mandate may include daily administration, revising statutes and organizing new elections. This is how FIFA intervenes when a federation is paralyzed, or its governance is judged incapable of functioning—not by permanently appointing the country’s football president. A recent example is the FIFA-Concacaf normalization committee in Montserrat.

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Why can private organizations exercise so much power?

FIFA and UEFA power comes from control over recognized participation.

A club that wants to play in an official league normally needs affiliation, player registrations, licensed officials and recognition from its national system. A national association that wants to enter the World Cup needs FIFA membership. Cross-border transfers depend on recognized registration and transfer mechanisms.

Commercially, the same network controls valuable intellectual property, broadcasting rights, sponsorship inventory, ticketing and access to major competitions.

This produces a form of private regulatory power. But private power is still subject to public law, including competition law, employment law, data protection, taxation, and human rights obligations.

The Super League judgment became the clearest recent demonstration of that limit.

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The last five years: the essential timeline

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The Super League: the legal legacy after a failed breakaway

On 18 April 2021, 12 English, Spanish and Italian clubs announced a proposed 20-team European Super League. Its original model reserved places for 15 permanent founders, giving elite clubs greater control over governance and media rights, and predictable income. The project collapsed within roughly two days due to opposition from supporters, domestic leagues, national associations, UEFA, governments, and players.

The lasting issue was legal rather than sporting. In December 2023, the Court of Justice of the European Union found that FIFA and UEFA’s former system for approving rival competitions, imposing sanctions, and controlling media rights did not meet EU law requirements for transparent, objective, non-discriminatory, and proportionate rules. The Court did not order UEFA to approve the Super League; it ruled on the governing bodies’ old framework, not on the merits of the proposed competition. CJEU judgment summary

A22’s later Unify League proposal removed permanent founder places but did not secure a recognized competition or a credible coalition of clubs. Barcelona formally withdrew in February 2026. Four days later, UEFA, European Football Clubs and Real Madrid announced an agreement of principles intended to resolve their related dispute once implemented. There is no recognized breakaway competition, no launch calendar and no viable group of participating clubs. The Super League should now be understood as a failed commercial project with an enduring legal legacy: football’s regulators may set entry rules, but those rules cannot be arbitrary gatekeeping. Barcelona’s statement and UEFA–EFC–Real Madrid statement

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Gianni Infantino and the FIFA model

Gianni Infantino was elected FIFA president in February 2016 after serving as UEFA general secretary. He won full mandates in 2019 and 2023; the partial 2016–19 period was not treated as a full term. He has announced that he intends to stand again at the FIFA Congress in Rabat on 18 March 2027, although a formal candidacy still requires nominations from member associations. FIFA announcement

His model has four connected elements:

1. Larger competitions: a 48-team men’s World Cup, a 32-team Club World Cup and a 48-team Women’s World Cup from 2031.
2. More recurring events: expanded youth tournaments, new club competitions and FIFA Series matches between teams from different confederations.
3. Centralized commercial growth: FIFA sells global rights and uses the World Cup as the financial engine for its four-year cycle.
4. Distribution to every member: FIFA Forward and related programs give every eligible association access to development funding.

This model has expanded access and investment, particularly in countries with limited domestic commercial revenue. It has also increased the number of matches and FIFA’s presence in parts of the calendar previously dominated by confederations and clubs.

That creates two major tensions.

First, FIFA is both regulator and tournament operator. Second, expansion produces revenue and representation, but also workload. European Leagues, LaLiga, and FIFPRO Europe filed a complaint with the European Commission in 2024 concerning FIFA’s handling of the international calendar. FIFPRO’s complaint

In June 2026, FIFA and FIFPRO signed a new agreement establishing formal player representation and social dialogue, with associated legal proceedings to be withdrawn. It is an important institutional change, although it does not automatically solve congestion, travel or recovery-time concerns. FIFA-FIFPRO agreement

The FIFA Forward Enterprise confrontation

On 28 July 2026, FIFA proposed creating FIFA Forward Enterprise, a FIFA-controlled subsidiary that would consolidate commercial and event operations and admit non-controlling minority investment.

The proposal offered each member association the option to seek US$20 million in immediate special-project funding and outlined a longer-term plan to raise FIFA development funding above US$10 billion. Both depended on approval and participation; neither became policy after the proposal was withdrawn. FIFA maintained that it would retain control over governance, competitions and sporting decisions. FIFA proposal

The reaction was fierce. UEFA, Concacaf, AFC, and national associations objected to the process, the lack of prior consultation, and the proposed treatment of the World Cup’s future value. Infantino withdrew the plan on 1 August.

The project is therefore not policy and should not be included as approved future funding. The established 2027–30 FIFA budget remains the relevant baseline. The fallout has continued, with UEFA considering legal and regulatory action. Associated Press account

This episode exposed the limit of presidential power. A FIFA president can propose and campaign, but cannot safely assume that commercially valuable rights can be reorganized without the support of councils, confederations and member associations.

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Follow the money, but compare it correctly

FIFA budgets around four-year World Cup cycles. UEFA reports annually by football season and receives an additional surge when a men’s EURO is staged. Their figures should not be placed on one scale without explaining the different periods and currencies.

Selected financial figures

Organization and period	Status	Main figures
FIFA 2023–26	Revised four-year budget	Approximately $13.0 billion revenue; $2.25 billion allocated to FIFA Forward. FIFA revised budget
FIFA 2027–30	Approved four-year budget	$14.0 billion revenue; $2.7 billion planned for FIFA Forward. FIFA budget approval
UEFA 2024/25	Audited actual result	Approximately €5.014 billion revenue, €3.861 billion in participant distributions, €468.9 million in solidarity and a planned €46.2 million deficit covered by reserves. UEFA results
UEFA 2026/27	Approved budget	Approximately €5.052 billion revenue, €3.917 billion in participant distributions, €454.9 million in solidarity and a planned deficit of approximately €62 million. UEFA budget

FIFA’s 2025 Club World Cup offered $1 billion in prize money to 32 participants, divided between participation and sporting-performance payments. FIFA also set a target of up to $250 million in global club solidarity. FIFA distribution model

For the 2026 World Cup, FIFA increased distribution to participating associations to $871 million. A separate $355 million Club Benefits Program compensates clubs releasing players for qualifiers and the final tournament. Team distribution and club benefits

One vocabulary warning matters: “money returned to football” is broader than grassroots development. It can include tournament staging, prize money for elite participants, solidarity, administration, education and capital projects. Participant distribution, solidarity and development expenditure should not be treated as interchangeable.

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What “development” means in practice

Programme	Purpose and scale	Analytical point
FIFA Forward 3.0	For 2023–26, each member association can access up to $5 million for operational activity and up to $3 million for approved projects. Confederations can receive additional program funding. FIFA Forward	Can fund pitches, competitions, administration, national teams, women’s football and technical projects. Funds are conditional and subject to approvals and reporting.
FIFA Talent Development Scheme	Helps associations identify talent, design academies and build elite pathways using technical assessments and international expertise.	Attempts to reduce the gap created by unequal domestic coaching and infrastructure.
FIFA Series	Cross-confederation international events, including developing national teams that rarely meet opponents from other regions.	Engagement is not only a World Cup place; regular international exposure also matters.
Football for Schools and FIFA Arena	School participation and small-pitch infrastructure. FIFA Arena targets at least 1,000 mini-pitches by 2031. FIFA Arena	Broad participation is easier to measure through facilities and registered players than through tournament publicity alone.
FIFA Women’s Development Program	Thirteen programs are available to all 211 associations. FIFA’s strategic target is 60 million female players by 2027. Women’s strategy	The critical tests are sustainable domestic leagues, trained coaches, safeguarding and paid opportunities—not only larger World Cups.
UEFA HatTrick VI	€935 million for 2024–28, with each of UEFA’s 55 associations eligible for up to €17 million. UEFA HatTrick	Redistributes men’s EURO earnings into infrastructure, grassroots, governance, coaching, refereeing and women’s football.
UEFA Unstoppable	€1 billion of competition revenue and UEFA investment committed to women’s football across 2024–30, with targets including six fully professional leagues and 5,000 professional players. UEFA strategy	Connects competition reform with professionalization rather than treating women’s football as a stand-alone social program.

Development money also creates a political relationship between the center and its members. That is not evidence of improper voting. It is a structural incentive: associations that depend heavily on central distributions will pay close attention to the continuation, size and conditions of those programs.

UEFA has also made financial control part of development and competition access. From 2025/26, its permanent squad-cost rule limits player and coach wages, transfers and agent fees to 70% of a club’s relevant revenue. UEFA financial sustainability rules

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How continents and national teams enter the World Cup

FIFA decides the tournament size and continental allocation through its governing bodies. Each confederation then designs and administers its own qualifying competition. Hosts normally qualify automatically, with their places handled according to the allocation approved for that tournament.

“Countries” is convenient shorthand, but FIFA members also include territories and the four separate British associations. Confederation membership does not always equal FIFA membership: all 41 Concacaf associations can vote regionally, but six are not FIFA members and therefore cannot qualify for FIFA competitions.

Men 2026 and women 2027: continental access

The six-team men’s play-off awarded two final places. Iraq qualified from the AFC and DR Congo from CAF, producing a final 2026 field of 16 UEFA teams, 10 CAF teams, 9 AFC teams, 6 Concacaf teams, 6 CONMEBOL teams, and 1 OFC team.

For the 2027 Women’s World Cup, 29 places are direct. A ten-team play-off will allocate the remaining three. FIFA’s 2027 allocation

What changed in 2026?

The men’s World Cup expanded from 32 to 48 teams and from 64 to 104 matches. Twelve groups of four produced 32 knockout qualifiers: the top two in every group plus the eight best third-placed teams.

The expansion materially improved access to Asia, Africa and Oceania. OFC received its first guaranteed men’s place. Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan made their first appearances. Spain eventually defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final on 19 July 2026. FIFA tournament report

More access does not mean equal access. UEFA retained 16 direct places, while OFC had one. The allocation reflects competitive history, membership, geography, politics and commercial realities—not population alone.

2030 and 2034

The 2030 World Cup will have its main tournament in Morocco, Portugal and Spain, with centenary matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. All six host associations qualify automatically, with their places charged to their confederations’ allocations. FIFA 2030 structure

Saudi Arabia will be the sole host of the 2034 World Cup. FIFA presents the tournament as an opportunity for national and regional development; human rights organizations have warned about labor rights, freedom of expression, and the scale of construction required. FIFA 2034 and Amnesty International’s assessment

World Cup hosts are formally awarded by the FIFA Congress, not personally appointed by the FIFA president, following bidding and evaluation processes organized by FIFA.

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How clubs and continents enter global club competitions

FIFA Club World Cup

The 2025 Club World Cup allocated its 32 places as follows:

Qualification combined continental champions from the four-year period with confederation rankings. A two-club-per-country limit applied, except when more clubs from the same country had won the relevant continental championship. FIFA qualification system

This was genuinely global: every confederation was represented. It was not equal. UEFA held 12 places, and its clubs received much larger participation payments than the OFC representative.

FIFA’s annual Intercontinental Cup also includes the six continental champions, but they do not enter at the same stage. The UEFA Champions League winner goes directly to the final, reflecting the competition’s commercial and sporting hierarchy. FIFA Intercontinental Cup format

Women’s global club football

FIFA has created two new layers:

• an annual Women’s Champions Cup involving the six continental champions in years without a Women’s Club World Cup;
• a 19-team Women’s Club World Cup, scheduled for January 2028.

For 2028, UEFA receives five direct places and one play-in opportunity. AFC, CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL each receive two direct places and one play-in place. OFC enters through the play-in. The design is global, but deliberately weighted toward Europe. FIFA women’s club competitions

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How UEFA club access now works

Since 2024/25, the Champions League has used a 36-team league phase rather than eight groups of four.

Each club plays eight different opponents. The top eight advance directly to the round of 16. Clubs placed ninth to 24th enter knockout play-offs; clubs placed 25th to 36th are eliminated.

The four additional Champions League places were assigned through:

• an extra club from the association ranked fifth;
• an additional domestic champion through the Champions Path;
• two European Performance Spots for associations whose clubs produced the best collective results in the previous season.

The Europa League uses a similar 36-team, eight-match league phase. The Conference League has 36 teams playing six league-phase matches. UEFA qualification explanation

The model remains open because clubs qualify through domestic competition. But it is not level. Historic results determine association coefficients, larger leagues receive more places, and financial distributions reinforce the competitive advantage of regular participants.

Women’s European club football changed in 2025/26. The Women’s Champions League now has an 18-team league phase, while the new Women’s Europa Cup gives more clubs and associations a continental route. UEFA women’s competition reform

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How this guide is sourced

This article prioritizes statutes, annual reports, competition regulations, court judgments and official statements from FIFA, UEFA, IFAB, the six confederations and national associations. Reporting from reputable independent media is used where official bodies do not publish a full account—particularly for fast-moving disputes, commercial proposals and withdrawals.

The verdict

World football is becoming more geographically inclusive and more commercially concentrated at the same time.

The 48-team World Cup gives more countries a realistic route to the game’s biggest event. The Club World Cup and new women’s competitions include every confederation. FIFA Forward and UEFA HatTrick can provide infrastructure and organized football that smaller associations could not finance on their own.

But the commercial center is also growing stronger. FIFA is creating more events. UEFA is generating more matches and more club revenue. The largest clubs remain the biggest beneficiaries of participant distributions. Players face a denser calendar. Hosts and commercial partners gain greater strategic importance.

The governance system is democratic within its membership, but not a public democracy. Presidents are chosen by football institutions, many of whose own leadership systems are indirect, weighted or uncontested. Fans, players, coaches, referees and clubs have different levels of representation depending on the organization.

The Super League did not replace UEFA. Its more lasting effect was to establish that a private governing body cannot combine regulatory and commercial power without clear, fair and reviewable rules.

Infantino’s FIFA has delivered larger tournaments, higher revenues and significantly more development funding. The same model has also expanded FIFA’s calendar, commercial reach and political importance. The abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal showed how quickly that expansion can meet resistance when member associations believe governance has been bypassed.

The clearest way to understand the system is therefore this:

FIFA does not own world football. UEFA does not own European football. Their authority comes from members that delegate power upward, and from clubs, players and competitions that accept the resulting rules in exchange for recognized participation.

The central question for the next decade is not whether football should grow. It is who decides how it grows, who receives the additional money, and whether the people playing and supporting the game have enough influence over those decisions.