In a video, FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the proposal to open part of the World Cup to external investors, describing the measure as optional and strategic.
Just 11 days after the grand final of the World Cup, the tournament continues to generate several controversial episodes, involving everything from the organization to the top hierarchy of FIFA itself, led by Gianni Infantino. Recently, information circulated that world football’s governing body, under the command of the Swiss executive, would be willing to open up equity in part of the World Cup to private shareholders.
The possibility generated immediate and strong rejection among the various confederations and federations that govern the sport. Infantino’s counter-offensive was not long in coming, going public via a nearly five-minute video in which the president presented his vision and detailed explanations on the subject.
“The FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, is actually a proposal, an offer. It is part of a democratic process — a consultation process — and, above all, it is an opportunity, not an obligation,” he stated categorically.
The executive also emphasized the democratic nature of the initiative: “As I have already said, this kicks off the consultation process. If, and only if, it is approved by the majority of our 211 Member Associations and the FIFA Council, the project would become a wholly owned subsidiary of FIFA, consolidating the entity’s commercial and event operations. Its function would be to commercialize and organize all competitions belonging to FIFA, including sponsorship, broadcasting, licensing, and new projects for the benefit of the 211 Member Associations, unlocking commercial value that was previously untapped.”
Infantino also provided details on the figures involved: “Each association will have the option to access another 20 million dollars through the FIFA Fast Forward program, which raises potential funding to 40 million US dollars per member in this upcoming cycle. It is a golden opportunity to boost the development of football worldwide. But, we insist, it is merely an offer, not an obligation. We have a fiduciary duty to do this and we are here to discuss it with everyone,” he added.
To conclude, Infantino left a message for the sport’s enthusiasts: “Fans remain the cornerstone of the world’s most popular sport, and the game they watch and love will not change. FIFA, obviously, will continue to govern football without any external interference. And the main tournament it organizes, like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, will always be maintained,” he concluded.