- FIFA publicly announced its sell-off proposal, backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, to create FIFA Forward Enterprise and offer external investors stakes of up to 20%.
- After an emergency meeting, UEFA member associations agreed to boycott all tournaments, including World Cups, unless the proposal was abandoned; FIFA faced an unprecedented mutiny.
- Concacaf said it rejected the proposal and the AFC called the lack of details ‘totally unacceptable’.
- FIFA responded, blaming ‘incorrect media reports’, insisting ‘nobody is selling football’, and reaffirming it will push ahead with consultation.
- FIFA defended FFE as giving member associations ‘meaningful ownership’ of football’s commercial opportunity, and insisted ‘Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.’
- FIFA said no single entity could claim to represent all 211 MAs, and each should be allowed to review the proposal under FIFA’s ‘democratic principles’; the consultation could include ‘approval, rejection or amendment’.
UEFA's decision to boycott FIFA tournaments stems from a controversial proposal to sell parts of the World Cup, which has ignited fierce backlash from member associations.34
Following an emergency meeting, UEFA stated it would boycott all tournaments unless FIFA abandoned its plans entirely.
FIFA, facing unprecedented opposition, acknowledged the backlash, asserting, “We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.” The governing body emphasized that “nobody is selling football” and blamed media reports for disrupting its consultation process.
The proposal involves creating a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to oversee commercial operations, offering external investors stakes of up to 20%. FIFA claims this initiative aims to provide member associations with meaningful ownership opportunities without compromising the sport's integrity.12
UEFA accused FIFA of putting the sport's “soul” up for sale, while Concacaf and the AFC expressed their opposition and disappointment over the lack of consultation prior to the announcement. FIFA's president, Gianni Infantino, has publicly supported the proposal, which has now faced significant resistance from the European bloc.
FIFA reiterated its openness to discussion, stating that the consultation could lead to “approval, rejection or amendment” of the proposal.
“After an emergency meeting Thursday, UEFA said it would boycott all tournaments unless the proposal was abandoned entirely; Concacaf rejected it and the AFC called the lack of details ‘totally unacceptable.’ FIFA’s plan would create FIFA Forward Enterprise, offering external investors stakes of up to 20%, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly backing it.”
The Guardian
