Gianni Infantino has set a deadline of 19 September for all 211 FIFA member associations to endorse his controversial proposal to carve out a portion of FIFA's commercial operations and sell minority stakes to private investors. According to a leaked letter, the incentive on the table for those who vote in favour amounts to roughly $40 million (about £30.1 million).
The proposal, dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), is intended to bundle the sale of FIFA's commercial rights—broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing—with the operational delivery of its tournaments. Under the FFE model, FIFA aims to raise up to $4.2 billion (approximately £3.1 billion) by offering non‑controlling, minority shares in the new entity to external investors. FIFA values the entire venture at around $20 billion (£15 billion). The governing body argues that, if the plan receives the required approval from its members, it could generate more than $10 billion in football‑development funding over the next four years.
The letter, which was sent only to the 211 national associations after the details of the plan were leaked, warned that any association that refuses to back the sale of at least 20 percent of the new commercial spin‑off would see a substantial reduction in the cash available for grassroots projects, national team programmes and other development initiatives. Infantino stressed that the success of FFE depends on more than half of the members supporting the scheme, as well as the backing of FIFA's ruling council. He wrote that if the required thresholds are not met, FIFA will revert to the existing Forward Programme 4.0, which would allocate roughly $10 million (£7.5 million) per member association for the upcoming cycle. Conversely, associations that endorse the plan will gain immediate access to a larger pool of funds, with the first disbursements slated to begin on 1 January 2027.
The financial stakes have been dramatically heightened. Earlier in the week FIFA announced that the new venture would initially provide each member with $20 million (£15 million) in funding between 2027 and 2030. The latest letter doubles that figure, suggesting a total pot of £7.5 billion for the members that sign up, compared with a reduced £2 billion for those that decline.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, reacted with fury, describing the proposal as a line that should never be crossed. UEFA officials indicated that an emergency virtual meeting of its member associations would be convened this week, and there are reports that a boycott could be considered if Infantino pushes ahead despite widespread opposition.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also voiced his disapproval on social media, stating that "football does not belong to investors; it belongs to the fans who fill the stands and the people who work on the touchline day after day, rain or shine." The English Football Association (FA) issued a statement saying it had been unaware of the proposal, lacked substantive details, and was deeply concerned about the lack of transparent governance surrounding the plan. The Football Association of Wales echoed similar concerns, noting that it had not received any concrete information from FIFA and was waiting for a full briefing before forming an opinion. Relations between FIFA and UEFA have been strained for some time.
UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has already boycotted the World Cup final in protest over a series of governance disputes, including the handling of the Folarin Balogun case. The sudden emergence of the FFE proposal, which was not raised during the recent meetings with football associations in New York, has added fresh tension to an already fraught relationship. FIFA clarified that the new structure would be a subsidiary, not a sale of the organisation itself, and that the governing body would retain sole control over football governance, competition formats, the international match calendar, and all sporting and regulatory decisions. JP Morgan has been appointed as the financial adviser, while Thrive Capital—led by Josh Kushner, brother‑in‑law of former U.S.
President Donald Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner—is expected to head the investor consortium. Infantino argues that the plan will "democratise football worldwide" by ensuring a larger share of the sport’s commercial success is reinvested into development projects across the globe. He described football as "the world’s most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development," adding that the commercial side of the game should operate as a dedicated business whose value is shared more equitably. Critics have questioned whether Infantino himself could benefit financially from the $20 billion venture, especially as his current term is set to end in 2031, after which he must step down if re‑elected.
FIFA denied any discussion of Infantino taking a chief‑executive role in the new entity, but acknowledged that both the president and the administration would need to play leading roles to ensure FIFA retains control in line with its statutes. FIFA, a not‑for‑profit organisation owned by its 211 member associations, enjoys tax‑free status in Switzerland. Its projected revenue for the 2022‑26 cycle is about $15 billion (£112.8 billion), largely derived from television rights, sponsorships and ticket sales from the men’s World Cup. The next major tournament will be the women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Sky Sports analyst Kaveh Solhekol summed up the atmosphere, noting that after a highly profitable men’s World Cup, Infantino and his inner circle see the creation of a commercial subsidiary as the future pathway for the sport. He warned that while a sizable pot of money is being offered to member associations, the backlash mirrors the failed European Super League attempt, suggesting that many federations may ultimately reject the plan. In short, the coming weeks will determine whether FIFA’s ambitious commercial restructuring gains the necessary majority support, or whether the collective opposition from UEFA, national associations and governments will force Infantino to abandon the proposal and seek an alternative route for funding football’s global development.