FIFA reverses plan: Infantino apologizes for the situation

The FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which sparked a major controversy in international football, has officially been withdrawn from discussion. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafström sent a letter to the organization’s Council and 211 national associations, apologizing for mistakes made during the process.

The plan was not to sell the World Cup itself or all rights related to it. FIFA had planned to establish a new company managing tournaments and commercial activities, raise $4.2 billion by giving private investors up to a 20% stake. However, after criticism intensified, the project was closed within a week.

“The process should have been handled differently”

FIFA leadership acknowledged in the letter that the process surrounding the project had not been managed properly. Infantino and Grafström said the proposal should have been approved by the national associations and the FIFA Council, but it is no longer on the agenda.

The organization said its internal processes would be reviewed to ensure that the mistakes were not repeated. At the same time, FIFA stressed that all actions had been carried out in accordance with its existing internal rules and said it would defend its reputation against accusations concerning its integrity and governance system.

The statement reflected two positions at once: FIFA acknowledged that mistakes had been made during the process but denied that the project itself had violated any rules.

$4.2 billion in exchange for a 20% stake

Under the initial plan, a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise — FFE was supposed to combine FIFA’s assets related to competitions and commercial operations.

The company was to be valued at $20 billion, with a minority stake that would not grant control planned for sale to investors. FIFA intended to raise $4.2 billion in this way and provide additional funding to member federations for football infrastructure, national teams, women’s football and grassroots football.

The project envisaged providing each national association with up to $20 million through an accelerated development program. However, the organizations objected less to the project’s financial benefits than to how it had been prepared and who had been excluded from the decision-making process.

UEFA opposition halted the plan

The Union of European Football Associations deemed the project contrary to the principles of transparency and corporate governance. UEFA’s 55 member federations even discussed the possibility of boycotting FIFA events and competitions unless the proposal was withdrawn.

Even after the plan was canceled, the European side’s objections did not stop. UEFA lawyers asked FIFA to preserve documents, email correspondence and other materials related to the project, stating that they were considering complaints to courts, arbitration panels or regulatory authorities.

The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also opposed the proposal. Within FIFA, some senior officials said they had not been aware that the project was being prepared, while Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned.

FIFA leadership backed Infantino

Following the controversy, FIFA leadership held an emergency meeting in Morocco. Infantino, Mattias Grafström and other members of the organization’s governing council attended.

After the meeting, it was announced that FIFA leadership fully supported the president. Infantino also reaffirmed his confidence in Secretary General Grafström. The statement has been viewed as an attempt to show that unity remains within the organization.

However, external pressure remains. Some European federations have begun withdrawing letters previously issued in support of Infantino’s candidacy in the next election. Former footballer Luis Figo also said that the FIFA president should resign.

Information leaks will also be investigated

FIFA is reportedly launching an inquiry to determine how internal information about the project was leaked to the media.

However, the central question in the controversy is not who leaked the information. Football organizations want to know why a decision concerning FIFA’s most valuable commercial assets was prepared without broad consultation and without informing some senior officials.

FIFA said it would continue working with 211 national associations to find new financial opportunities for football development. But any future project will be judged not only by the size of the figures involved, but also by who prepared it, how it was prepared and whose interests it served.

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