ZURICH: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the governing body’s controversial proposal to launch a private commercial subsidiary, saying the move could help accelerate the global development of football.
In a video released on Wednesday, Infantino said the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) was an “opportunity but not an obligation” and argued that football was not receiving enough commercial value in areas that needed investment the most.
FIFA announced on Tuesday that it would maintain a majority stake in FFE while seeking to raise $4.2 billion through minority, non-controlling investments from long-term partners.
Infantino said the proposal would require approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations and the 38-member FIFA Council, describing it as part of a democratic consultation process.
He said the subsidiary would focus on commercializing FIFA-owned competitions, sponsorships, broadcasting rights, licensing and new ventures, while FIFA would continue controlling football governance, competitions, match schedules and sporting decisions.
“Fans from everywhere in the world would gain immeasurably from this game-changing potential because it will transform football in their countries,” Infantino said.
However, the plan has faced strong criticism from several football organizations. European football’s governing body UEFA said the proposal “crosses a line,” arguing that the governance and identity of football should not be treated as commercial assets.
The European Union’s sports commissioner Glenn Micallef also criticized the move, posting “Hands off our game” on social media.
CONCACAF expressed concern over the lack of consultation, while the Asian Football Confederation said it was disappointed that it had not been involved in discussions.
FIFA said FFE could achieve an initial valuation of $20 billion and that each member association would have the opportunity to purchase a one-time stake worth $20 million.
The proposal comes as FIFA expects record revenues from the 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time. Discussions have also emerged over a possible expansion of future World Cups to 64 teams.
Critics have compared the plan to the failed European Super League project, warning that increased commercialization could affect football structures worldwide.
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