Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo Elected Chair of World Leagues Association

What happened

Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has been elected as the new Chair of the World Leagues Association, according to a report by Football Italia. He takes over from Premier League CEO Richard Masters, whose term had reached its natural conclusion, and will serve a four-year mandate.

Report details

The WLA's annual meeting in Czechia brought together more than 100 representatives of football leagues from around the world, the report said. Masters will remain as Vice-Chair of the organization alongside Don Garber, the Commissioner of Major League Soccer in the United States.

De Siervo described the election as an honor at what he called an important moment. He said the WLA has grown steadily over the past decade and now brings together 51 leagues from across all continents, reflecting the importance of cooperation and of giving national leagues a stronger voice in the governance of world football. The report framed the outcome as a boost for the role of Italian football on the global stage.

De Siervo has served as CEO of the Lega Serie A since December 2018, a period the report characterized as particularly difficult for Italian football. The WLA was founded in 2016 and represents 51 professional leagues worldwide, with the aim of strengthening the role of national leagues in football governance.