FIFA digs in over private investment plan
FIFA has issued a defiant new response to UEFA's World Cup boycott threat, insisting it will press ahead with a consultation on giving private investors stakes in a World Cup commercial entity. The governing body said it has no intention of withdrawing the proposal.
In a statement, FIFA said the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) was meant to give every member association the chance to share in football's commercial opportunities without harming the spirit or governance of the sport. “Nobody is selling football,” FIFA said. “This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”
UEFA rejects the plan
Plans for FFE surfaced in reports in The Times and the Financial Times on Tuesday, prompting a furious reaction from UEFA. Within days, all 55 member associations said they would boycott the World Cup and refuse to take part in any FIFA tournament unless the proposal was scrapped.
UEFA described its opposition as “unanimous and unequivocal”. It said: “No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.”
Wider opposition and next steps
CONCACAF, which represents 41 nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the proposal. European and global leagues have voiced concerns that commercial priorities could lead FIFA to stage larger and more frequent tournaments, further squeezing domestic calendars.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has openly backed the scheme, with an investor consortium led by Thrive Eternal – established by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner – poised to take a minority stake. FIFA added that each member association should be allowed to review the proposal and “have a say in shaping their own future”, while any substantial returns to national bodies could be at risk if European teams refuse to compete.
