FIFA Scraps Private Investment Plan After Global Football Backlash

World football’s governing body FIFA has abandoned its proposed plan to introduce private investment into its major events after facing strong opposition from football organisations around the world.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed on Friday that the proposal would not move forward, stating that FIFA’s main goal has always been to unite and improve football globally.

“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,” Infantino said.

FIFA’s Proposed Private Investment Plan

FIFA had introduced the idea earlier in the week to create a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The organisation said the initiative could have generated up to $4.2 billion based on an estimated valuation of $20 billion.

The proposed company was expected to manage commercial activities linked to FIFA’s major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

Under the plan, FIFA’s 211 member associations could have received a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027. The proposal also included increasing funding support for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.

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UEFA and Other Football Bodies Opposed the Proposal

The investment plan faced immediate criticism from several major football organisations. UEFA strongly opposed the idea, warning that its national teams would not participate in FIFA competitions if the proposal remained active.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF also expressed concerns over allowing private investors to take part in FIFA’s commercial structure.

Officials argued that private ownership involvement could affect the traditional governance model of international football.

Senior Advisor Resigns Over FIFA Proposal

The controversy also led to the resignation of FIFA senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro, who criticised the plan.

Cordeiro described the proposal as “a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.”

His resignation added further pressure on FIFA leadership to reconsider the investment strategy.

FIFA Says Decision Was Made After Listening to Football Community

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the proposal was designed to strengthen football associations and provide greater financial support globally. However, he acknowledged that the widespread disagreement created divisions that were against FIFA’s objective.

He added that the plan would only have been implemented if it received majority support from stakeholders.

Following the criticism from football federations and officials, FIFA decided to withdraw the proposal to protect unity within the global football community.