- Fifpro accused Fifa president Gianni Infantino of a "profound abuse of presidential power" over the secretive plan to sell off the World Cup, stating that the proposal was "conceived in secrecy, negotiated behind closed doors" and brought to the brink of agreement without stakeholders' knowledge.
- Fifa acknowledged that "mistakes" had been made in the plans to create Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), but Fifpro noted the tone of that statement with "deep concern" and said the withdrawal of FFE was inevitable but did not erase what it revealed.
- Fifpro stated that the withdrawal of FFE prevented an irreversible decision but did not restore confidence, which has been "fundamentally broken" and cannot be rebuilt through statements, reviews, or promises.
- Fifpro demanded governance reforms, writing to Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom that the role of Fifa president exists to protect institutions, not to circumvent them, and that the World Cup is not the personal asset of any president.
- Fifpro's letter cited the introduction of hydration breaks as another example of a "broader pattern" of decisions taken without proper consultation, suggesting the breaks were "closer to a proof-of-concept for future commercial exploitation by FFE-type investors than a genuine welfare measure."
- Despite signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Fifa the day before the World Cup kicked off, Fifpro wrote that the FFE episode demonstrated that commitments are of little value if they can be circumvented whenever one individual chooses to act outside the institutional framework.
Fifpro has expressed deep concern over FIFA's handling of the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which aimed to commercialize the World Cup without proper consultation. The players' union stated that the plan was developed in secrecy, undermining trust in FIFA and highlighting a governance failure.23
Fifpro emphasized that the withdrawal of the FFE proposal does not restore the confidence that was lost. They stated, “The withdrawal of FFE prevented an irreversible decision. It did not restore the confidence that made such a proposal possible in the first place. That confidence has now been fundamentally broken.”45
The union's letter to FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom outlined demands for governance reform, asserting that the role of the FIFA president should protect institutions rather than circumvent them. They noted, “The World Cup is not the personal asset of any president. Nor is Fifa itself. They are held in trust for football.”
Fifpro also criticized FIFA's introduction of hydration breaks, suggesting they were more about commercial exploitation than player welfare. They stated, “The FFE episode demonstrated that commitments, however welcome, are of little value if they can be circumvented whenever one individual chooses to act outside the institutional framework.”78
FIFA acknowledged mistakes in the FFE plans, but the players' body remains skeptical about the effectiveness of internal reviews and promises for reform.
“Fifpro, representing over 70 player unions, wrote to Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom demanding governance reforms, stating the World Cup is not the personal asset of any president. The withdrawal of Fifa Forward Enterprise was inevitable but did not restore confidence, which cannot be rebuilt through statements or promises.”
The Independent
