FIFA has scrapped its plan to sell stakes in a company overseeing the commercial and operational elements of its tournaments, with president Gianni Infantino confirming that the proposal "will not proceed".
In a statement issued early on Saturday, Infantino said the FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to strengthen member associations worldwide, but acknowledged that the project had created divisions. "Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place," he said.
Opposition from confederations
The scheme, which would have covered the men's and women's World Cups, was opposed by three continental confederations: UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). UEFA warned its nations would boycott FIFA events, while CONCACAF, representing nations across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, rebuffed the plan. The AFC demanded an "urgent review" of FIFA's governance and decision-making framework.
South American governing body CONMEBOL said it had "requested additional information and clarification".
Resignation and criticism
The proposals triggered the resignation of Infantino's senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro. Chief operating officer Kevin Lamour issued a statement to the Associated Press on Friday afternoon branding the plan "a project of one person".
Prime Minister Andy Burnham also criticised the plan on Friday, saying: "This was an outrageous suggestion. The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, (Infantino) is the wrong man to lead the organisation."
Private investment plan
FIFA's blueprint centred on establishing FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee its competitions. The most contentious element was a proposal to sell a 20 per cent stake to private investors. Thrive Eternal, a firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of United States President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was identified as the frontrunner to lead the investment. The company has so far declined to comment on the matter.
The president stated on Friday that he had not spoken to Infantino regarding the proposal.
AFC welcomes decision
Asian Football Confederation president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed the withdrawal of the proposal, saying any such initiatives must adhere to "proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game".
In an official statement, he added: "The AFC stands ready to support any initiative that strengthens the unity of the football family, contributes to the continued growth of the game globally and delivers meaningful benefits to all stakeholders."
