Club Atlético River Plate will return to the AFA Executive Committee meetings on Tuesday with a critical document proposing six fundamental reforms for Argentine football. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 at the Lionel Andrés Messi complex in Ezeiza, where the club's representatives, second vice president Ignacio Villarroel and general secretary Agustín Forchieri, will present the proposal.
The club, which sits second in the Liga Profesional Argentina with 29 points from 16 games, is shifting its strategy from protest to structured initiative. River Plate had withdrawn from these meetings on March 5, citing a lack of predictability and procedural guarantees. It now returns with a concrete agenda whose support from other clubs remains unknown.
The six reform pillars
The document sets the general framework for River's institutional position. "Each of these pillars will be deepened with specific projects and technical rigor, but fundamentally built collaboratively with all AFA member clubs and stakeholders of our football," the club said in a statement. The first point proposes a change in competition formats, with a gradual reduction of the 30 teams currently in the Primera División. The club did not specify if the goal is to return to the historical 20-team format but emphasized the need for rules that do not change during the tournament, a reference to the Annual Table championship awarded to Rosario Central in 2025.
The second pillar calls for a reordering of the calendar and the transfer window. The third seeks to establish criteria for institutional procedures and access to information. The fourth, and one of the most emphasized, demands a re-discussion of the roles of those currently leading Argentine refereeing and the definition of objective criteria for appointments. River Plate suggests performance evaluations and an independent committee to audit refereeing.
The final two points address football's economics. The fifth defends maintaining solidarity in income distribution but rethinking AFA's revenue generation and proposing new lines of action. The sixth aims to reform the model for television rights, both national and international.
The refereeing and sporting context
The emphasis on refereeing is not accidental. Days ago, River Plate president Stefano Di Carlo publicly expressed his dissatisfaction. "River has been harmed in the last five matches. You can't do political correctness here, all River fans see the same thing." he said. His remarks came after a penalty was not awarded to Ángel Correa in the match against Tigre, officiated by Andrés Gariano with VAR intervention.
This return to the AFA table comes during a mixed sporting moment for Martín Demichelis's team. Following the 1-2 defeat to Huracán on September 19, which ended a positive run, the team maintains its runner-up position, five points behind leaders Independiente Rivadavia. Its next match is on October 4 against 11th-placed Sarmiento Junín, a key fixture to maintain momentum in the title race.
River Plate justifies its proposal based on its status as a founding member of the AFA and defends the non-profit civil association model. The club ratified that it works tirelessly with other institutions for what its members demand and share. Tuesday's presentation marks the start of a debate the club considers urgent for the future of national football.
More detail at Clarin Deportes
