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See the full story · 11 sourcesA proposal that could reshape the commercial future of the World Cup has sparked fierce opposition from football's governing bodies.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday unveiled plans to create a $20 billion (€17.5 billion) company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run competitions including the World Cup and Club World Cup with private investors, according to The Times of London.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter voiced concern over the close ties between Infantino and US President Donald Trump, as one of the reported potential investors is the family of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Meanwhile, EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef wrote on X: "Hands off our game."
From Europe to Asia and the Americas, football governing bodies have voiced concern over FIFA's proposal. Euronews looks at some of the key reactions.
UEFA: 'The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade'
UEFA was among the first organisations to condemn the proposal. European football's governing body made clear that football is not for sale, warning against turning the sport into a commercial asset.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association,” said UEFA in a fiery statement released shortly after the Times article was released.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” UEFA said Tuesday, responding to the reports of selling stakes in FIFA competitions.
UEFA vice-president Gabriele Gravina has also criticised FIFA's proposal.
"Football cannot be reduced to a private affair," Gravina said.
"We are crossing the line. The balance laboriously constructed over the years between show football and football, a great popular passion - continues the former FIGC No. 1 - risks being swept away by a business vision that is not good for the movement."
UEFA will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss its response to FIFA's controversial private investor plans, according to French sports minister Marina Ferrari.
"I acknowledge the emergency meeting to be held Wednesday among European football authorities. Faced with a project that could profoundly transform the balance of our sport, it is essential that European stakeholders speak with a single voice," Ferrari said in a social media post.
La Liga president attacks FIFA plan
La Liga president Javier Tebas lashed out at Infantino, accusing him of mixing "politics, discipline, money and power without transparency."
In his X post, which featured an iceberg, the visible section read "What is already known," while the submerged section read "This is only the tip of the iceberg," suggesting that much more about Infantino's stewardship of FIFA remains to be revealed.
"And now FIFA is promising more than $10 billion and up to an additional $20 million for each member association, while at the same time preparing to bring private investors into its rights and competitions. This does not look like reform. It looks like an election campaign financed at the expense of football's future," he wrote.
"Development cannot be used to buy votes or silence criticism. FIFA's competitions and commercial rights are not Infantino's personal property.
Anyone who mixes politics, discipline, money and power without transparency cannot lead anything. Infantino is not the solution to FIFA's governance. He is the problem. We are only scratching the surface of the iceberg."
England FA 'completely unaware' of the plan
England's Football Association (FA) said it had not been informed of FIFA's proposal before it emerged publicly and raised concerns about the way it had been handled.
The governing body said it was "deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved."
"When the proposal is shared in the full and transparent way now promised by FIFA, we will make our views clear, and comment further," a spokesperson said, adding that they were "completely unaware" of the proposal.
German FA: 'A line has been crossed'
The German Football Association (DFB) has joined UEFA in criticising FIFA President Gianni Infantino's reported plan to sell a 20-30% stake in the World Cup to private investors, with DFB Vice-President Hans-Joachim Watzke saying "a line has been crossed."
"Many in European football see FIFA's plans as a direct attack on the sport. I share that view," said Watzke, who also serves as a UEFA Executive Committee vice-president.
"There is broad consensus among the member associations. That has become clear to me in several discussions over the past few days with Aleksander Ceferin and other colleagues," he added. Watzke also stressed Europe's importance to the World Cup.
"At the 2026 World Cup, six European teams reached the quarter-finals and three made the semi-finals. If European football stands united against these plans, that carries significant weight".
FFF to consult European counterparts over FIFA plan
Philippe Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, also criticised the complete lack of communication surrounding the proposal.
"We learned about this very significant project through a press release. We have no details, and given its direction – namely bringing investment funds into a commercial company alongside FIFA – it raises many questions," Diallo said.
He added that national football associations had not been consulted and had been given no concrete information that would allow them to take a position on what he described as issues that are fundamental to the future of the sport.
Diallo ...
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