World football’s governing body says misleading reports have affected consultations and insists any proposed commercial structure would remain fully under FIFA’s ownership and control.
ZURICH, Switzerland — WEB DESK: FIFA has issued a clarification regarding its proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project after criticism and what it described as misleading media reports surrounding the initiative.
In a statement, FIFA said inaccurate reporting had affected the ongoing consultation process and stressed that it is seeking feedback from all 211 member associations based on verified facts.
FIFA Responds to Criticism
FIFA said no single organisation can claim to represent the views of all 211 member associations.
The governing body also rejected suggestions that football was being “sold,” stating that such claims were inaccurate and inconsistent with FIFA’s objectives.
Proposed Commercial Structure
According to FIFA, the proposal involves creating FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial subsidiary that would manage certain commercial activities.
The organisation emphasized that the proposed subsidiary would remain 100% owned and fully controlled by FIFA, with no changes to its governance or decision-making structure, even if external investment were involved.
Funding for Member Associations
FIFA said the proposal aims to increase commercial revenue and distribute its benefits across all member associations.
Under the proposal, each of FIFA’s 211 member associations would receive US$20 million in FIFA Forward funding during the 2027–2030 funding cycle.
Approval Depends on Member Associations
FIFA stressed that the project has not yet been approved and will only move forward if it receives support from a majority of member associations.
