A fierce debate has erupted in European football over FIFA’s new commercial plan. UEFA, European football’s governing body, has called an emergency meeting of its 55 member nations this week to oppose the proposal, with the possibility of boycotting future World Cups reportedly on the agenda, according to ESPN.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced plans on Tuesday to create a new commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would take over all future tournaments and commercial operations, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Under the plan, FIFA aims to raise around $4.2 billion by selling minority stakes to outside investors, valuing the organization as a whole at $20 billion.
FIFA is working with multinational financial services firm J.P. Morgan on the deal. Potential investors include Thrive Eternal, a fund founded by Joshua Kushner — brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
UEFA reacted sharply to FIFA’s announcement on Tuesday, saying, “FIFA has crossed a line. UEFA takes this matter extremely seriously, and every national football association should do the same. Leagues, clubs, players, fans, governments, and anyone who cares about the future of football should share this concern.”
The statement continued, “The spirit and governance of football are not assets for sale. Football does not belong solely to FIFA, and it has no right to sell it.”
UEFA has also raised concerns over the lack of transparency regarding who stands to benefit financially from the plan, which is why the matter is being treated so seriously. According to ESPN, the most likely option under discussion is a virtual meeting among member nations.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also criticized FIFA’s plans, writing on social media, “Football does not belong to investors.”
This isn’t the first clash between FIFA and UEFA. In 2021, FIFA had planned to hold the World Cup every two years, but was forced to abandon the idea under the threat of a UEFA-led boycott.
FIFA maintains that the new plan will accelerate football’s development worldwide, stating that its 211 member federations will receive increased funding through the development fund through 2038. While each member association is currently promised $8 million during the 2027-30 cycle, that figure would rise to $20 million under the new plan, before climbing further to $22 million and eventually $24 million in subsequent cycles.
FIFA also stressed that participation in the new financial structure would not be mandatory, and insisted it would retain full control over FIFA Forward Enterprise, along with exclusive authority over football’s laws, competitions, match schedules, and all sporting matters.
European football authorities, however, fear the plan could significantly affect the future governance and independence of the sport — which is why the football world is now watching closely ahead of UEFA’s emergency meeting on the matter.
