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≡ FIFA EQUITY PLAN ≡
“This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. Nor can the interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.
“Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation.
“As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.
“Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.”
Thursday’s statement following an emergency meeting of the 55-member Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) made clear their opposition to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, a plan to raise $4.2 billion in private equity to fund development. The response has been swift:
● 28 July (Tue.): FIFA posted its plan online, after it was disclosed in a story in The Times (London).
● 28 July (Tue.): UEFA posted a initial statement against the plan, based on The Times story.
● 29 July (Wed.): It was reported that FIFA circulated a letter to its 211 member federations, requiring approval of the plan by 19 September, or that federations would lose up to $40 million in funding from 2026-30.
● 29 July (Wed.): The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Central American, North American and Caribbean confederation (CONCACAF) posted messages protesting the announcement of the plan without prior consultation.
● 29 July (Wed.): The African Football Confederation (CAF) statement was non-committal: “As part of this consultation process, the CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe [RSA], will host a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee next week, to inter-alia, assess and evaluate the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.”
● 29 July (Wed.): The European Leagues board met and issued a statement that the plan “represents a reckless and divisive development for world football.
“The World Cup should not be for sale. It is not the FIFA President’s private equity asset. Its value is created day in and day out by leagues, clubs, players and supporters who are being left without a voice or a vote on this matter. European Leagues firmly reject this proposal.”
The players union FIFPRO Europe’s statement against the plan included:
“The proposal also raises fundamental concerns about the future governance of world football and the integrity of the game. Stakeholder participation in FIFA’s decision-making has always been limited. It must not now be displaced by commercial influence, allowing financial interests to outweigh the voices of those who play, support and sustain the game. FIFPRO Europe cannot – and will never – support such a model.”
● 29 July (Wed.): FIFA President Gianni Infantino (SUI) offered support for the plan in a video, explaining, “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.
“It is a golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally. But again, it is just an offer, not an obligation.”
● 30 July (Thu.): UEFA’s statement that it will boycott any FIFA competitions so long as the plan is alive. This would notably include the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in which Spain is the defending champion.
Government officials in multiple countries have also criticized the plan. An analysis of the plan as presented shows that the proposed $4.2 billion investment is far less than needed to fulfill the promises.
The Thursday UEFA statement also noted:
“National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences. This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.
“But our opposition goes far beyond process.
“The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become a daily pressure. From that moment onwards, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders.”
The proposal requires 106 of 2011 member federations to approve it and if UEFA (55), Asia (47) and CONCACAF (41) stick together, that would be 143 against, enough to kill it.
But the FIFA demand is for approval by 19 September, not now.
¶
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