Italian football has gained a stronger voice in the international game after Serie A chief executive Luigi De Siervo secured a four-year leadership role. His appointment comes as domestic leagues push for greater influence over decisions affecting the global football calendar and transfer regulations. Luigi De Siervo, chief executive of Lega Serie A, has been elected Chair of the World Leagues Association (WLA), succeeding Premier League chief executive Richard Masters following the organisation’s annual meeting in Prague on Friday, 13 November.
De Siervo will serve a four-year term, while Masters remains involved as vice-chair alongside Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber. The appointment was confirmed during the WLA’s 10th anniversary gathering, which attracted more than 100 representatives from professional leagues and football organisations worldwide. The association represents 51 professional leagues across all continents and aims to strengthen their collective influence in football governance.
Global football governance on the agenda
De Siervo takes charge at a time when domestic leagues are seeking greater involvement in decisions made by FIFA. During the Prague meeting, members discussed the governing body's announced review of its governance structure and called for national leagues to have a formal role in shaping future decisions.
The organisation also agreed to establish a Social Dialogue Committee to address issues arising from the new transfer system framework and coordinate its involvement in FIFA's Global Social Dialogue Platform. Women's professional football was another key discussion area, with representatives from the Women's Leagues Forum and European Women's Leagues Platform contributing to the discussions.
The WLA also expanded its Supervisory Board from 12 to 14 member leagues. Representatives from Japan J.League, Greece Super League and Poland Ekstraklasa were among the newly elected members. De Siervo has led Serie A since December 2018. His appointment gives Italian football a prominent position within an organisation seeking to ensure domestic competitions have a greater say in the future direction of the sport.
