BBC News
· collected 2026-07-31 · by Patrick Jackson, Simon Stone, Simon Stone
Fifa president Gianni Infantino is pushing a plan to create a commercial subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would allow external investors to buy stakes in it. The proposal, backed by Infantino with promises of $40m in payments to member associations, has been met with opposition from Uefa and Concacaf, who collectively hold 96 of the necessary 106 votes. According to Fifa, this plan aims to increase pay-outs to member associations, with an estimated 24m euros per association in the 2035-2039 cycle. Fifa claims it will not "sell football", but has been accused by Uefa of trying to enrich itself and its friends through the deal.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
- Published
Fifa says that "nobody is selling football" as it vowed to continue with the controversial plan to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.
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it → say → investors
Uefa - the body that governs European football - voted on Thursday to boycott World Cups if the plan proceeded.
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plan → govern → Cups
Concacaf, which governs football in North and Central America and hosted this year's World Cup, said its 41 member associations also "rejected" the proposal made by Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
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associations → govern → Infantino
Fifa oversees world football and Infantino would need 106 of its 211 members to vote in favour for the proposal to go through.
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proposal → oversee → favour
Uefa and Concacaf members combined make up 96 of those votes.
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members → combine → votes
In a statement released on Friday, Fifa claimed the consultation process had been "disrupted by incorrect media reports".
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process → release → reports
"We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation," the statement read.
"
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statement → respect → consultation
We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA (member association) has the ability to express its vote based on facts.
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MA → proceed → facts
"Nobody is selling football.
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Nobody → sell → football
This is not something Fifa would ever entertain."
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Fifa → entertain → ?
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.
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investors → want → it
It said it would "invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments" in a new subsidiary - Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).
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it → say → subsidiary
In a 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan, it is made clear that Fifa's tournaments will expand to hit an estimated increased pay-out of 24m euros per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.
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tournaments → create → cycle
It mentions "new business initiatives" and "attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation".
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It → mention → compensation
The World Cup is described in it as the "most widely viewed" sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is said to be "under-monetised".
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Fifa → describe → contrast
On Friday, Fifa said FFE had been proposed "to ensure all Fifa member associations have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries".
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associations → say → countries
"This does not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of Fifa or football itself," it added.
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it → come → Fifa
Infantino previously wrote to Fifa members saying they will receive $40m (£30m) if they back his controversial proposal.
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they → write → proposal
He set a deadline of 19 September for federations to accept his plans if they want to access an initial $20m (£15m).
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they → set → 20
However, Uefa has accused Fifa of using football "to enrich themselves and their friends".
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Uefa → accuse → themselves
If approval is granted, Fifa says Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.
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Eternal → grant → FFE
Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner - the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared.
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Thrive → found → son
What did Uefa and Concacaf say?
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Uefa → say → What
Uefa and Concacaf have led the opposition to Infantino's plan.
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Uefa → lead → plan
"The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product," Uefa's statement on Thursday read.
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statement → treat → Thursday
It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent.
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It → build → continent
"No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors.
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part → surrender → investors
Concacaf said its members "expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal" and the "artificially short deadline imposed".
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members → say → proposal
It also questioned the need for private investment after what Fifa claimed was the most profitable World Cup in history.
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Fifa → question → history
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said that it is "deeply concerned that Fifa's unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football".
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actions → say → football
The AFC also said it was "unacceptable" that it had not been consulted before the proposal was publicly announced, nor provided with "detailed governance, financial or legal analysis".
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proposal → say → analysis
The governing body overseeing football in South America, Conmebol, is yet to publicly comment on the proposals.
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body → govern → proposals
The governing bodies in Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) have said they will discuss Fifa's plan in August.
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they → say → August
Chelsea manager and 2010 World Cup winner Xabi Alonso was asked about the situation during his side's pre-season tour of Australia.
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Alonso → ask → Australia
"I think that football has to be for the people, not in private hands and I think that the way we love it is this way and we have seen a great World Cup and it's good to defend the interests of all the people
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it → think → people
," he said.
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he → say → ?
"Hopefully it won't happen and we will do it - we will keep the game as attractive and as authentic as we like it and that's why it creates these emotions, these passions.
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it → happen → emotions
"
What happens now?
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What → happen → ?
It feels as though no-one who matters knows how this situation is going to play out just yet.
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situation → feel → ?
"Not sure the detail was considered when deciding the overall policy," was the response from a senior European football source when asked what this decision means for the U20 Women's World Cup, starting on 5 September, being hosted by Poland and featuring plenty of European nations.
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decision → consider → nations
…and 23 more, not listed.
