FIFA mulls plan to sell €17.5bn stake to private equity
FIFA is considering selling a minority stake in a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to private equity investors to raise up to €4.9 billion. The proposal has faced strong opposition from UEFA, which argues that football governance and its 'soul' should not be treated as tradeable assets.
Why it matters
This move represents a significant shift toward the financialization of global sports governance, potentially setting a precedent for how international sporting bodies manage commercial assets.
FIFA is planning to sell a significant minority stake in a new commercial entity with a valuation of about €17.5 billion ($20 billion).
The plan would see FIFA establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a wholly-owned subsidiary consolidating the organisation's commercial and event operations.
FIFA said it would retain sole control as well as "exclusive authority" over football governance, competitions, the match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions.
Under the proposal, FIFA would invite external investors to purchase minority, non-controlling stakes in FFE to raise up to €4.9 billion ($4.2 billion), with the body saying all net benefits will be reinvested in the game.
"Football is the world's most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
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