Uefa and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham have sharply criticised Fifa’s plan to bring private investors into a new commercial venture covering its flagship competitions, including the World Cup.
Fifa has outlined proposals to create a new subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would consolidate its commercial and event operations and be opened up to “minority, non-controlling investments” from third parties.
The governing body says the plan would help expand “football development funding” to more than $10bn (£7.5bn), with each of its 211 member associations able to access up to $20m (£15m) in “one-off capital” for development projects.
According to reports in the Financial Times and the Times, the project could generate substantial personal financial benefits for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, with the Times suggesting he could earn tens of millions of pounds. Fifa sources have insisted to BBC Sport that there has been no discussion about Infantino, or anyone else, becoming chief executive of the new entity.
The scheme still requires approval from Fifa’s 211 member nations at Congress, scheduled to take place in Morocco in March. Fifa says that, if it is approved, US venture capital firm Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.
Thrive is an American venture capital company founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump.
Infantino: ‘Fifa exists to support development’
In a detailed statement setting out the rationale for the move, Fifa said Infantino and the rest of the organisation “has a duty” to oversee how the project is developed, although it has not clarified what that oversight would involve in practice or the specific nature of Infantino’s role.
Infantino argued that the revenues generated by football at the elite level should be spread more widely.
“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game,” he said.
“Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: Fifa exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world.”
Fifa insists it would retain control of FFE “and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions”.
Uefa: ‘This crosses a line’
Uefa responded with an unusually strong statement, warning that the move risks undermining how football is run and hinting at fears that the World Cup and other Fifa competitions could be further expanded in size or frequency to drive investor returns, potentially encroaching on Uefa’s own lucrative tournaments.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” Uefa said.
“Uefa takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder who cares about the future of the game.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa’s to sell.”
Burnham: ‘Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out’
Prime Minister Burnham was equally blunt, accusing Fifa of effectively putting the World Cup up for sale.
He wrote on X: “Let me say this very directly. Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell. Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.
“Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.”
The Football Association said it was not aware of Fifa’s proposals before they were made public.
Financial pressures and possible World Cup changes
Fifa argues its proposed structure mirrors models already used elsewhere in sport. In 2018, Premiership Rugby confirmed a deal with private equity and investment advisory firm CVC Capital Partners, which took a minority stake in the competition’s commercial rights.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told BBC Sport the Fifa plan represents “an opportunity for Fifa to generate even more money” at a time when there are “an awful lot of interested parties in the game who want a slice of the action”.
He warned that, if FFE is created with external shareholders, there is likely to be “pressure for a 64-team World Cup and for it to take place every two years” because the new organisation would “have got to make money in order to satisfy the shareholders”.
Next steps
The proposals are expected to be debated at the next Fifa Council meeting in the autumn, and to feature prominently around the Fifa Intercontinental Cup, which will involve Champions League winners Paris St-Germain in December.
Any formal decision would rest with the full Fifa Congress, where all 211 member associations will vote on whether to approve the creation of FFE and the move to bring in private investment.
