FIFA faces European revolt over proposed World Cup investment venture

UK finance minister John Healey says FIFA’s plan to open a share of its World Cup-related commercial operations to private investors appears to be collapsing.

Healey praised the Football Association and UEFA for leading opposition to the proposal, which has prompted growing concern among European football authorities.

“I think FIFA’s plans are falling apart, and I am extremely proud that the English FA and UEFA led the campaign against the idea of selling the World Cup,” Healey told reporters on Friday, according to Reuters.

The comments come as resistance builds to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plan to create a new commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise. The proposed organisation would bring together FIFA’s commercial activities and the operations involved in staging its competitions.

FIFA intends to make part of the company available to private-sector investors. The governing body has said FIFA Forward Enterprise could be valued at about $20bn (£15bn), with the possibility of raising more than $4bn through private investment.

Although FIFA has insisted it would retain full control of the business, as well as football governance, competitions and sporting decisions, the proposal has angered UEFA and European national associations.

They view the introduction of private investors into the commercial value linked to the World Cup as crossing a red line. Member associations affiliated to UEFA have threatened not to take part in FIFA competitions while the proposal remains in place without being abandoned or accompanied by guarantees that private interests will not gain access to the governing body’s decision-making or its competitions.

The dispute centres on the way FIFA intends to use the new company and the safeguards that would govern its relationship with outside investors. European football authorities fear that private finance could eventually influence areas that have traditionally remained under the control of football’s governing institutions.

FIFA, however, says FIFA Forward Enterprise is designed to generate more than $10bn to support the development of football in the coming years. It also says the model would increase funding available to each of its 211 national associations.

The organisation maintains that bringing in private capital would not alter its authority over the sport. FIFA says it would continue to control the company and retain responsibility for the governance of football, the running of its competitions and all sporting decisions.

Healey’s intervention adds political support to the opposition already expressed by UEFA and the Football Association. His remarks suggest that the proposed commercial structure is facing significant resistance before it has been established.

The plan has become one of the most contentious issues between FIFA and European football in recent months, with national associations now considering whether continued participation in FIFA competitions should depend on the proposal being withdrawn or tightly restricted.