Fifa has become one of the planet's most powerful institutions, wielding enormous clout while remaining subject to remarkably little scrutiny. The latest controversies are merely symptoms of a governance model that has reached its limit. While many hope outrage over Gianni Infantino’s plan to carve out a $20bn commercial entity will lead to change, history suggests that focusing on personalities rather than institutions fails to produce lasting reform.

Infantino is not the problem. The central issue is that Fifa acts as both the regulator of world football and its main commercial actor—an obvious conflict of interest. As commercial success becomes the primary measure, other objectives are subordinated to revenue growth. This prioritisation of profits is facilitated by a patronage system that entrenches incumbents and discourages dissent.

To achieve genuine reform, Fifa’s regulatory functions must be separated from its commercial activities. Oversight must become genuinely independent, protected by transparent appointment procedures. Political authorities, including the European Union, can no longer justify deferring to sporting bodies' claims of autonomy, especially as sport accounts for 3.7 per cent of EU GDP.