FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been forced to scrap plans to sell off a stake in the FIFA competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, through the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise after a global backlash.

In a statement, the FIFA President said “The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed. And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders.”

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“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place. “

“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. “

“As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”

“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.” 

FIFA planned to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise, a FIFA-owned and controlled subsidiary, consolidating FIFA’s commercial and event operations. Thanks to the FFE, FIFA planned to establish the FIFA Fast Forward Programme, an optional mechanism that would allow MAs to unlock additional development funding.

The increased funding would have been as follows:

(i) An optional USD 20 million per MA in exceptional and immediate funding for special projects from the new FIFA Fast Forward Programme, 
(ii) USD 20 million per MA in Forward funding for 2027-2030 (currently budgeted USD 8 million), 
(iii) USD 22 million per MA in Forward funding for 2031-2034, and (iv) USD 24 million per MA in Forward funding for 2035-2038

FIFA planned to offer each of the 211 MAs the opportunity to participate in FFFP to access up to USD 20 million in one-off capital. The additional funding would have been financed through FFE’s planned initial capital raise of up to USD 4.2 billion from third parties.