Fifa says 'nobody selling football' as it presses ahead with investment plan
FIFA has defended its proposal to sell minority stakes in its commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, following backlash from UEFA and Concacaf. The organization insists it is not 'selling football' and intends to continue a consultation process with its 211 member associations.
Why it matters
This is the official response to a massive institutional revolt in global football, highlighting the tension between commercialization and traditional governance.
Image source, Reuters By Patrick Jackson Published 13 minutes ago Fifa, which oversees world football, has responded to outrage over a plan to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors by saying it plans to continue the consultation process.
European football's 55 member associations (MAs) voted on Thursday to boycott World Cups if Fifa proceeded with the proposal.
And Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America, said its 41 member associations also "rejected" the plan.
Fifa said in response: "Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA has the ability to express its vote based on facts.
"Nobody is selling football," it insisted.
Fifa wants to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, and external investors will be able to buy stakes in it.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in