J. League and La Liga extend partnership

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J. League and La Liga have signed an agreement to extend their strategic partnership for another three years.

It was originally signed in 2017 and the extension will see it continue from July 2020 until June 2023.

The memorandum of understanding between the leagues has seen institutional visits from league representatives and the sharing of industry expertise. The Meiji Yasuda J. League World Challenge was also held in July 2017 between Kashima Antlers and Sevilla FC.

The leagues said that going into the future they will looking to go further with their digital actions.

Collaboration will also transpire in other areas such as eSports and audio-visual piracy. Seminars and workshops will be held on areas such as governance, management and finance.

Another key area of the partnership is working on social responsibility and cooperation to carry out communications to deter racism, violence and discrimination.

Exchanges of coaches and youth players are also expected to occur.

“Our MOU with the J. League was the first that La Liga signed in Asia and we are delighted to continue growing with them. Spain and Japan are countries with a long history of friendship and exchanges, and football, as an important part of both cultures, has an important role to play in continuing this relationship,” President of La Liga, Javier Tebas said about the partnership.

J. League also clarified that players of the same nationality as a partner league do not count as foreign players. However, this regulation does not apply to strategic partner leagues, so players with a Spanish nationality will be unable to use this regulation.

“We are very pleased to continue our strategic partnership with La Liga to continue to deepen our exchanges and challenge our issues. While the world is in midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, we will strive to strengthen our partnership and make our way to go through this difficult situation together,” J. League Chairman, Mitsuru Murai said in statement.

Meanwhile, a J2 League match between Omiya Ardija and Avispa Fukuoka has been cancelled following a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Avispa Fukuoka.

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Football West runs Indigenous pilot program during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary

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Image Credit: Football West

Football West ran a pilot program for Indigenous children at the Sam Kerr Football Centre during NAIDOC Week’s 50th anniversary. Former Socceroo David Williams delivered the session.

This year’s national NAIDOC theme, “50 Years of Deadly,” marks five decades since the movement began. It honours the Elders, artists and communities who built it.

“Having these young indigenous kids here at the Sam Kerr Football Centre was great to see,” Williams said. “The feeling they got running around the same pitch the Socceroos and Matildas have trained on was special for them and me.”

A player turned administrator

Williams retired from professional football in November 2025 after a career-ending ACL injury. As a teenager he trained with Club Brugge and Liverpool, and coach Miron Bleiberg once described him as the “best Australian prospect since Harry Kewell.”

He went on to become the first Indigenous player to represent Melbourne City, scored in the UEFA Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt, and won the Indian Super League with ATK.

Since retiring, Williams has moved into administration at Football West. He also sits on the Indigenous Football Australia Council, which oversees the grassroots initiative John Moriarty Football.

A name with its own history

Football Australia named Williams head coach of the Charles Perkins XI last year, the governing body’s national Indigenous youth team. Football Australia renamed the side in 2025 in honour of Dr Charles Perkins AO, following endorsement from the Perkins family and the National Indigenous Advisory Group.

Perkins, an Arrernte and Kalkadoon man, played for Adelaide Croatia and Pan Hellenic in the 1950s. He went on to become the first Aboriginal Australian to graduate from university and a leader of the 1965 Freedom Rides.

Football Australia has described the renamed team as reflecting a commitment to embedding cultural identity and leadership within its high-performance pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

What happens next

“After living out my dream as a professional player, to now being able to offer experiences like this and hopefully inspire the next generation of young Indigenous footballers is very rewarding,” Williams said. “There is also a lot of talent that we can tap into.”

He said running the session during NAIDOC Week let Football West mark two things at once. “Creating a fun session for these kids during NAIDOC Week meant we could celebrate culture and sport in one go,” he said.

Williams wants the session to become a regular fixture rather than a single event. “Going forward, I would love to put on more of these programs throughout the year and get more indigenous youngsters playing football,” he said.

Football West has not yet confirmed funding or a schedule for further sessions.

World Cup ‘Not For Sale’: Confederations unite against Infantino’s private investment plan

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Image Credits: Associated Press

The global backlash to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a minority stake in a new commercial entity overseeing the FIFA World Cup and other major global competitions has continued to intensify. Two of the most powerful confederations have now taken a stand against Infantino’s plan.

UEFA and CONCACAF, in separate statements released today, spoke on behalf of Europe and North America, totalling 96 FIFA member associations. They rejected the proposal, citing serious concerns over governance, transparency and the long-term future of the world’s biggest sporting events.

UEFA’s message left little room for interpretation and has now taken action, boycotting FIFA tournaments.

“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product,” Europe’s governing body said in its statement.

“The World Cup is not for sale.

UEFA has decided European nations will not participate in any FIFA tournaments if the proposal goes ahead. This includes next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2030 World Cup, of which Spain and Portugal are amongst the hosts.

CONCACAF echoed many of those concerns following meetings involving its member associations. They highlighted what it described as a lack of due process surrounding the proposal.

The confederation questioned the compressed decision-making timeline and the absence of review by FIFA’s governance bodies. The governing body of North America didn’t see the need to seek private equity investment following what has been described as the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history.

Rather than endorsing the proposal, Concacaf instructed its FIFA Council members to engage with FIFA on alternative solutions. These included using FIFA’s existing financial reserves to increase investment in football development across the region.

Growing resistance

Infantino’s proposal would establish a new commercial company, reported to be valued at around AUD $29 billion (USD $20 billion). FIFA seeks to sell up to a 20% stake to outside investors while retaining sporting control. FIFA argues the move would unlock billions in additional development funding for its member associations.

However, critics argue the process has moved forward with insufficient consultation and risks fundamentally changing the priorities of world football.

FIFA and Infantino only need a majority of 106 member states for this proposal to pass. However, with UEFA refusing to play in tournaments and considering other confederations that may choose similar action, the proposal hangs in the balance.

The opposition is no longer confined to Europe and North America. Both Asia’s AFC and South America’s CONMEBOL have signalled their displeasure, having not been consulted on the proposal.

A defining moment for FIFA

With several of football’s most influential confederations now publicly opposing the proposal, Infantino faces one of the biggest governance challenges of his presidency.

While FIFA maintains that sporting decisions would remain under its control, UEFA and CONCACAF have made it clear that football’s most iconic competition should remain a public sporting asset rather than an investment vehicle.

As negotiations continue, it is yet to be seen who else may take a stand against Infantino, but without any European nations partaking in global tournaments, FIFA’s grand plan has taken a major blow.

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