The Demise of FIFA? Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga among 20 leagues to form new world association to work alongside FIFA

The English Premier League has joined 20 leagues around the world to create a 'World Association of Leagues'.

The new organisation will come into effect in January with the intention of working alongside the troubled world ruling body FIFA. 

French Professional Football League (LFP) president Frederic Thiriez said: 'The professional leagues from the whole world want to participate in the rebuilding of FIFA and football institutions.'

He added that the key was to ensure the professional leagues were 'involved in the decision-making processes'.

The decision came following a meeting at the World Leagues Forum in Paris on Tuesday, which was attended by four of the five candidates in the running to take over the FIFA presidency from suspended incumbent Sepp Blatter.

'Football is not dead but its international institutions are very sick,' added Thiriez.

'We believe that with the experience we have in managing football daily in our countries, we can bring our experience to help rebuild FIFA.'

Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, ex-French diplomat Jerome Champagne, South African business tycoon Tokyo Sexwale and Asia's football chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa were the four FIFA presidency candidates present in Paris. 

Daily Mail