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FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended his plan to sell up to a 20% stake in a new commercial subsidiary, calling it an opportunity, not an obligation, amid intense global backlash from football confederations.
Recall that the European governing body has slammed the move, stating the World Cup is not an asset to trade and not FIFA’s to sell.
FIFA claims that it will retain sole regulatory, sporting, and governance control over all matches and competition calendars while offering a deadline of September 19, 2026, along with an immediate financial incentive of $20 million to $40 million for member associations to support the vote.
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“FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, is actually a proposal, an offer. It’s part of a democratic process – a consultation process – and, above all, it is an opportunity but not an obligation,” Infantino said in a video released Wednesday evening.
“It is a golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally. But again, it is just an offer, not an obligation.
“Capturing that value requires additional expertise, additional insight, distinct from governing and developing the sport.
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“It would simply commercialise and organise all FIFA-owned competitions along with sponsorship, broadcast, licensing and new ventures for the benefit of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
“Fans from everywhere in the world would gain immeasurably from this game-changing potential because it will transform football in their countries,” he said.
