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A proposal by FIFA to open the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup and other tournaments to private investors has triggered fierce opposition from UEFA, setting the stage for a major battle over the future governance and commercial ownership of world football.
FIFA on Tuesday, as reported by Aljazeera, unveiled plans to create a new US$20 billion subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to manage the commercial operations of the World Cup and other competitions.
Under the proposal, FIFA would retain majority ownership while selling minority stakes to external investors in a deal expected to raise up to US$4.2 billion.
The plan still requires approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations.
FIFA said the proposed investor consortium would be led by an investment vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
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FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, defended the proposal, saying the additional capital would be used to expand access to football globally, with all net proceeds reinvested into the development of the sport.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport,” Infantino said.
“Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value, and we celebrate that success because it lifts the whole game. Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it.”
He said FIFA would retain full control over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all sporting and regulatory decisions.
However, UEFA described the proposal as a dangerous step that threatens the independence of football’s governing institutions.
In a strongly worded statement, the European governing body said the plan “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.”
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade. It is not FIFA’s to sell,” UEFA said.
UEFA also criticised what it described as a lack of transparency over who stands to benefit financially from the proposed investment structure and urged national football associations, leagues, clubs, players, supporters and governments to scrutinise the proposal carefully.
The controversy has further exposed growing tensions between FIFA and UEFA, with the European body arguing that football should remain under the stewardship of its governing institutions, while FIFA maintains that attracting private capital will generate more resources to grow the game in developing nations.
The proposal also attracted political criticism, with United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham arguing that the World Cup should never become a commercial asset for investors.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell,” Mr Burnham wrote on social media.
FIFA has become one of the world’s wealthiest sporting organisations, generating billions of dollars through broadcasting rights, sponsorships and commercial partnerships linked to the expanded 48-team World Cup.
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