FIFA World Cup investment plan draws CONCACAF and AFC criticism
CONCACAF and the AFC say FIFA gave them no prior notice of a $20bn subsidiary plan that would sell minority stakes to investors.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
FIFA’s World Cup investment plan is facing widening resistance after CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation said they were not consulted before the proposal became public, Reuters reported. The dispute matters because FIFA is seeking private capital for a new commercial arm tied to its biggest competitions.
FIFA said Tuesday it wants to create a $20bn subsidiary to run the World Cup and other events, with outside investors able to buy minority stakes of up to 20%. The governing body would keep control of the business, called Forward Enterprise, while raising as much as $4.2bn, according to Reuters.
What is FIFA's World Cup investment plan?
The plan would move commercial and event operations for FIFA competitions into a new subsidiary valued at $20bn. FIFA would retain control but sell minority equity stakes to private investors, according to the governing body’s announcement cited by Reuters.
The proposal follows a 48-team World Cup staged this year in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the largest edition of the tournament, Reuters reported. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said FIFA’s role is to help football develop sustainably and inclusively around the world.
Confederations say they were not consulted
CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean, said it first learned of the proposal through media coverage and then a FIFA media release. In a statement, it said it was concerned by what it called a lack of due process.
The confederation said details of the plan had been prepared and released publicly before discussions with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders. It said football leaders have a duty to act as custodians of the sport and to rely on sound governance and long-term stewardship.
The AFC said it understood the need to consider new commercial ideas but was disappointed that a proposal of this scale was announced before it could study it. The Asian body said plans that could change football’s financial future require earlier engagement with confederations, national associations and other stakeholders.
The AFC has 47 member associations, while CONCACAF has 41. Reuters reported that, when UEFA’s 55 members are included, confederations representing 143 of FIFA’s 211 member associations have either criticised the proposal or raised concerns.
European bodies raise governance concerns
UEFA has strongly opposed the move, accusing FIFA of putting football’s “soul” up for sale, Reuters reported. Widespread reports said UEFA was seeking an emergency virtual meeting with its 55 member associations this week to discuss a response, with a boycott of FIFA competitions understood to be among the options.
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo told France Inter that his organisation had not been informed. He said the idea of bringing investment funds into a FIFA-linked commercial entity raised questions, especially because member federations did not have the information needed to judge an issue he described as central to football’s future.
England’s Football Association said it had been “completely unaware” of the proposal and lacked substantive details. Based on the limited information available, the FA said it had serious concerns about the process, governance and principles involved, and would respond further once FIFA shared the full proposal.
European Union Sport Commissioner Glenn Micallef also raised concerns on X. He wrote that FIFA’s regulatory role could become aligned with the financial interests of private entities, creating questions about governance, independence and conflicts of interest when investment value may depend on FIFA decisions.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.