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See the full story · 11 sources🚨 'Nobody is selling football' - FIFA defends FFE proposal after UEFA boycott threat
FIFA has defended its controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, insisting 'nobody is selling football' after an extraordinary backlash culminated in UEFA's 55 member associations threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions if the plan goes ahead.
In a statement released on Friday, world football's governing body said it 'acknowledges and respects' the concerns raised by confederations and blamed 'erroneous reporting in the media' for disrupting its intended consultation process.
"We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation," FIFA said, adding that every one of its 211 member associations should be allowed to review the proposal and vote "based on facts."
The statement is FIFA's first detailed response since UEFA unanimously agreed on Thursday to boycott future FIFA competitions should the governing body proceed with plans to create FFE, a new FIFA-owned commercial subsidiary that could sell a minority stake to outside investors. UEFA argued that football's flagship competitions should never become investment vehicles and criticised FIFA for a lack of transparency in developing the proposal.
According to FIFA, FFE would remain permanently owned and controlled by FIFA, with governance of the sport, competitions and regulations unchanged. The organisation said the proposal is designed to generate additional commercial revenue that would be redistributed across its membership rather than benefit private investors alone.
FIFA also stressed that the proposal would increase development funding significantly. Every member association would receive USD 20 million in FIFA Forward funding between 2027 and 2030, while an optional one-off USD 20 million payment through the proposed FIFA Fast Forward Programme would be financed by external investment. Participation would be voluntary, FIFA said, and FFE would only proceed if approved by a majority of member associations.
The governing body rejected suggestions that it was attempting to push the proposal through without proper scrutiny.
"Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports," FIFA said. "Without the support of the majority of member associations, FIFA's commercial activities would remain unchanged. FFE would not be established."
The row represents one of the most serious governance disputes between FIFA and UEFA in recent years. Reporting by The Times said FIFA is seeking to raise billions of dollars by selling up to a 20% stake in FFE, which has been valued at around USD 20 billion, with JPMorgan advising on the process. The proposal has also drawn criticism from other confederations over the speed and transparency of the consultation.
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