FIFA $4.2bn stake plan criticised by CONCACAF, UEFA
CONCACAF and UEFA have criticised FIFA's plan to sell minority stakes in the business operations of the World Cup and other competitions through a semi-private subsidiary.
FIFA said Tuesday it would keep a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, and hoped to raise $4.2 billion later this year by selecting long-term investors to buy minority, non-controlling interests.
The plan would still need approval from the 38-member FIFA council and a majority of FIFA's 211 member associations. FIFA said it intended to present the plan to the council soon.
CONCACAF, which governs football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, said it was "deeply concerned by the lack of due process". It said the level of detail had been made public before discussion with relevant governance bodies and stakeholders.
UEFA said the proposal "crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross". EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef wrote on X: "Hands off our game."
FIFA said it would retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions. It said it believed FFE would have an initial equity valuation of $20 billion.
FIFA also said each member association would be given the chance to take a one-off $20 million stake in FFE. It said those investments, together with other programmes, could bring planned development funding to more than $10 billion over the next four years.
The Times reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino stood to profit from the plan by becoming commissioner of FFE after his expected next term expires in 2031. FIFA denied that this had been discussed.
The Times also reported that discussions had started with financial advisers and potential investors, including Thrive Capital and an arm of JP Morgan Chase.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticised the plan on social media, saying the World Cup was not a product and "was never anyone's to sell".
Update
CONCACAF said it was deeply concerned by the lack of due process behind FIFA's plan.
UEFA said FIFA's plan crossed a line football governing bodies should not cross.
Glenn Micallef, the EU commissioner for sport, wrote: "Hands off our game."
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticised the plan on social media.
FIFA said member associations could take a one-off $20 million stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise.
The Times quoted an unnamed senior football figure calling the plan potentially worse than the European Super League.
Source note: AFP news report published on 29 July 2026 at 09:23:49 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The plan has not yet been approved by the FIFA council or member associations.
The reported discussions with potential investors are attributed to The Times.
FIFA denies that Infantino becoming commissioner of FIFA Forward Enterprise after 2031 had been discussed.
Source
AFP news report published on .