UEFA has strongly opposed FIFA’s proposal to create a new subsidiary commercial entity that would allow private investors to buy minority stakes in the governing body’s World Cup business, calling the move a line “football’s governing institutions should never cross.”
FIFA president, Gianni Infantino unveiled plans for a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would oversee the organisation’s commercial and event operations, including the FIFA World Cup and Club World Cup. The entity would seek to raise up to US$4.2 billion from long-term investors based on an initial valuation of US$20 billion.
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According to FIFA, the organisation would retain ownership of FFE, while investors would acquire minority, non-controlling stakes. The governing body is working with JPMorgan on the proposal, with Joshua Kushner’s investment firm, Thrive Eternal, among the prospective investors.
UEFA condemned the proposal, arguing that football’s governance should not be commercialised.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade,” UEFA said in a statement. “None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
The proposal would require approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations, each of which could receive up to US$20 million in one-off funding if the plan is adopted. FIFA said the capital raised would support football development worldwide through its funding programmes.
Infantino described the initiative as an effort to “democratise football worldwide,” while reports also suggest he could lead the new company after his tenure as FIFA president ends, should he secure re-election next year and complete his final term in office through 2031.
The proposal echoes Infantino’s unsuccessful 2018 attempt to secure a US$25 billion investment for new global competitions, a plan that also faced strong resistance from UEFA over concerns about the commercialisation of football’s premier tournaments.
