FIFA’s slide to investor self‑funding has been slammed by national associations who are preparing to boycott games if the plan passes.
European football’s 55 member associations (MAs) cast a vote on Thursday that would see the World Cup vanish from the calendar if FIFA went ahead with the stake‑selling scheme. The vote was mirrored by Concacaf’s 41 members, who all rejected the proposal.
FIFA responded that the “consultation process” had been interrupted by erroneous media reports and that it will move forward to allow each MA to vote based on solid facts. The governing body added that “nobody is selling football.”
The plan involves creating a commercial subsidiary – FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) – which would run flagship competitions, including the World Cup. Private investors could take minority, non‑controlling stakes in the new venture.
A vote of the 211 FIFA members would be required, with Infantino needing 106 affirmative votes to activate the move. Distinctly, the combined 96 associations from UEFA and Concacaf appear poised to oppose the measure.
FIFA re‑affirmed its commitment to an “open and democratic consultation” in a statement released Friday morning, stressing that the proposed subsidiary has “no impact on the spirit or governance of FIFA or football.”
