Nasser al-Khelaifi announces World Football Clubs

Nasser al-Khelaifi has announced the creation of World Football Clubs, taking the European clubs’ movement towards a global structure. The initiative is intended to give clubs across the world stronger representation, a collective voice and better opportunities to develop.

The announcement came at the European Football Clubs’ general assembly in Copenhagen. The EFC now brings together more than 900 clubs from Europe and is targeting 1,000 members. Its governance has also been adjusted, with greater representation and a more prominent role for smaller clubs.

Al-Khelaifi, who is also president of Paris Saint-Germain, presented the new organisation as a natural response to the increasingly international reach of clubs. Teams remain connected to their local communities, but their players, coaches, competitions, supporters, owners, partners and brands now operate across a worldwide audience.

World Football Clubs will extend the EFC’s role as a platform linking clubs and creating benefits both inside and outside Europe. The announcement was made as tensions surrounding FIFA and Gianni Infantino’s presidency have intensified, placing the question of how clubs are represented in international football under renewed focus.