FIFA confirmed on Friday, July 31, that it is abandoning a highly-criticized proposal to sell a minority stake in its organization. The decision comes just days after the federation publicly unveiled the plan on July 28, which aimed to raise $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation.
The proposal centered on a new entity known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). Under the initial plan, this segment would have exercised control over many of FIFA's most lucrative business operations, including the organization of the World Cup. The federation stated that the project was intended to provide a financial foundation to strengthen member associations and support the growth of football globally, particularly in countries where assistance is most needed.
In a statement attributed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the organization acknowledged that the project had triggered significant division. "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," the statement read. "Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed."
FIFA emphasized that the project was originally subject to a consultation process involving the FIFA Council, the Confederations, and other stakeholders, with the expectation that a majority of member associations would support it. Looking ahead, Infantino expressed an intention: "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."
The scale of FIFA's operations remains massive, with the men's tournament held this summer featuring 48 teams playing 104 matches across 16 cities in three countries. The cycle continues next year with the 2027 Women's World Cup, which is set to take place in Brazil.
