England's Football Association (FA) has officially voiced its significant concerns regarding a new proposal from FIFA to establish a commercial subsidiary tasked with running future events. The world governing body announced on Tuesday that it plans to create the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), an entity that would reportedly have connections to the extended family of US President Donald Trump.
In a statement, the FA emphasized its lack of prior knowledge regarding the proposal. "We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details, including what the proposition actually is, and what conditions are attached," the organization stated. The FA added that based on the limited information available, it is deeply concerned about the apparent substance and principles involved, as well as the lack of process and governance leading up to the announcement. The governing body noted that it intends to offer further comments once FIFA shares the proposal in a full and transparent manner as promised.
The announcement has sparked widespread backlash, including from UEFA, which stated that the World Cup is not an "asset to trade." British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also criticized the move on social media, asserting that "football does not belong to investors." He added, "The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone's to sell."
Responding to the criticism, FIFA clarified that the FFE would be responsible for selecting "long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests" in the subsidiary. However, FIFA maintained that it would retain sole control over the enterprise, as well as exclusive authority regarding football governance, competitions, the international match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions.
