FIFA asserts that ‘nobody is selling football’ amid increasing global criticism of its World Cup equity plan
FIFA stands firm on its World Cup equity plan, rejecting claims of commodifying football and committing to consult its members in response to increasing opposition from global confederations.
FIFA has stood by its proposed private equity venture associated with the World Cup, asserting that “nobody is selling football” in response to growing opposition from football confederations worldwide.
In a statement released early Friday, the governing body of World Football attributed the widespread criticism of its proposal to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to “erroneous reporting in the media.” This commercial subsidiary would enable private investors to hold a minority stake in FIFA’s commercial operations.
FIFA stated that it is dedicated to consulting its 211 member associations prior to making any decisions and emphasized that the FFE would not be created if the members opposed the proposal.
FIFA will maintain its current commercial activities. FFE would not be created. There is no one selling football. “This proposal is not an issue that FIFA would ever consider,” the statement indicated.
The clarification followed UEFA’s announcement that its 55 member associations would withdraw from FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, in protest against the plan. Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also turned down the proposal, expressing concerns regarding governance, transparency, and the limited consultation period.
UEFA stated that “the FIFA World Cup belongs to football” and should never be commercialized, while Concacaf raised concerns about the necessity of external investment following FIFA’s most lucrative World Cup. The AFC has requested an immediate examination of FIFA’s governance and decision-making procedures.
The controversy revolves around Infantino’s proposal to separate FIFA’s commercial operations into the new $20 billion FFE subsidiary, where private investors would hold a 20% stake. Member associations were assured of a rise in FIFA funding, from $10 million to $20 million over the next four years, contingent upon their approval of the plan.
The backlash intensified on Friday as Carlos Cordeiro, a senior FIFA adviser and former president of US Soccer, stepped down in protest against the proposal.
