UEFA INSISTS THE World Cup is not an \u201casset to trade\u201d after Fifa confirmed plans to set up a private company to run its competitions.<\/p>\n
Football\u2019s world governing body said on Tuesday it was seeking to create Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it revealed would be responsible for bringing together the sale of Fifa\u2019s commercial rights with the operational delivery of its tournaments.<\/p>\n
The creation of the company, Fifa said, was subject to approval from national associations and the Fifa Council.<\/p>\n
Fifa said the creation of FFE would lead to a significant increase in football development funding to national associations and bring Fifa\u2019s total planned spending on development to more than 10 billion US dollars (\u20ac8.8 billion) over the next four years.<\/p>\n
Fifa said, if the proposal was given the green light, the plan was to \u201ccarefully select long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests in FFE\u201d.<\/p>\n
It revealed Thrive Eternal, a company launched in April by Joshua Kushner, the brother of United States president Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law Jared Kushner, would lead the proposed investor group for FFE.<\/p>\n
\nUEFA statement on The Times article: \u2b07\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/ye1tjfWRCb<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 UEFA (@UEFA) July 28, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Uefa said in a statement: \u201cThis crosses a line that football\u2019s governing institutions should never cross.<\/p>\n
\u201cUefa takes it extremely seriously. So should every national football association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe soul and governance of football are not assets to trade \u2013 especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa\u2019s to sell.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Times reported Fifa president Gianni Infantino could become the commissioner or chief executive of the new vehicle from 2031. He is seeking re-election as Fifa president next year on a four-year term.<\/p>\n
Fifa\u2019s statement did not provide any information on any role for Infantino within FFE, other than to say it would be owned and controlled by Fifa. The company\u2019s implied valuation was $20 billion (\u20ac17.6 billion).<\/p>\n
The vast majority of Fifa\u2019s revenue is generated from the men\u2019s World Cup, with The Guardian reporting earlier this month that Fifa is set to announce the tournament in North America generated $15 billion (\u20ac13 billion) in income.<\/p>\n
Fifa said JP Morgan had been engaged to work alongside it regarding the FFE proposal. Fifa\u2019s release confirming the plans concluded: \u201cOutside investors will have only a minority stake in FFE and will not play any operational role. Equally, they are investing in a subsidiary of Fifa, and not in Fifa itself. For Fifa, nothing changes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fifa said it would retain \u201cexclusive authority\u201d over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions.<\/p>\n
Uefa\u2019s statement follows on from its president Aleksander Ceferin opting not to attend the World Cup final in protest at a series of governance decisions and actions by Fifa he had not agreed with.<\/p>\n
Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won\u2019t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women\u2019s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n