FIFA releases statement after UEFA, Concacaf boycott decisions

The tension between FIFA and UEFA rages on after Gianni Infantino announced plans to sell stakes in future FIFA World Cups to private investors.

On Thursday morning, the 55 national team associations belonging to UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, met virtually and agreed to boycott Infantino and the World Cup, according to the Athletic:

“The decision to boycott any competition run by FIFA was taken at a virtual meeting of the 55 national associations which are members of UEFA, the European football confederation, on Thursday, according to sources with knowledge of the meeting. That followed news of FIFA’s proposal on Tuesday, with world football’s governing body telling its 211 member associations that the plan needed to be approved by September 19.”

Earlier this evening, FIFA put out a statement to clarify what they’re calling the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. In the statement, FIFA acknowledged, “the feedback and concern from the public,” reaffirmed their “commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” and addressed, “erroneous reporting in the media disrupted planned consultation process.”

Gianni Infantino and FIFA’s full statement:

We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and would like to address the issues that have surfaced since the initial media reporting on Tuesday.

We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.

⁠Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each Member Association has the ability to express its vote based on facts.

FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA Member Associations (MAs) have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries, and that this does not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of FIFA or football itself.

Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.

Everyone has the right to express their opposition and to seek further clarification but no single entity can claim to represent all 211 Member Associations around the world. Each MA should be allowed to review the proposal and have a say in shaping their own future. These are the democratic principles of FIFA.

As per the proposal:

• FFE would move FIFA’s commercial and operational event delivery activities into a subsidiary organisation that FIFA would own and control permanently.

• ⁠The commercial value created would be shared among all 211 Member Associations, enabling each MA to make meaningful investments in football in their respective countries.

• ⁠Under the proposal, each MA would receive USD 20 million of FIFA Forward Development funding over the next four years (2027-2030), irrespective of its individual support.

• ⁠This increased funding would come from the additional revenues generated by FFE through the more effective management of FIFA’s commercial operations, for the benefit of all Member Associations.

• ⁠The FIFA Fast Forward Programme is a one-off development funding of an additional USD 20 million per MA – participation would be fully voluntary for all Member Associations should the FFE proposal proceed – and would be financed by external investment without ceding control or altering FIFA’s governance structure in any way.

• ⁠Without the support of the majority of Member Associations, FIFA’s commercial activities would remain unchanged. FFE would not be established.

These components represent the starting point of the consultation process and are open for discussion as part of that process. This can include approval, rejection or amendment in their entirety or individually.

These principles underpin the FFE proposal: unprecedented development funding, truly global ownership of the commercial opportunities of our sport, and full self-determination through a democratic process for all Member Associations.

Later Thursday, prior to FIFA’s statement, the North American soccer association, Concacaf, also joined UEFA in boycotting upcoming World Cups.

There are sure to be many more conversations ahead as Infantino and FIFA do not appear ready to back down from their plans.

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