FIFA scraps private‑investment plan, confederations back governance

The FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial vehicle that would have sold a share of World Cup broadcasting rights to private investors. The proposal triggered strong opposition from UEFA, CONMEBOL, CAF, Concacaf and other confederations, who warned that such a move bypassed FIFA’s statutes and democratic procedures.

Following the backlash, FIFA withdrew the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan. CONMEBOL issued a statement condemning “unilateral actions” and praising the respect for institutional governance, while announcing a council meeting in Luque, Paraguay, to set a collective stance ahead of the FIFA presidential election deadline on 18 November 2026. The South American confederation also stressed the need for dialogue and adherence to FIFA’s statutes.

The Venezuelan Football Federation welcomed the reversal, noting that the decision restored confidence in FIFA’s governance and highlighted the benefits of the FIFA Forward programme for its own development. Similarly, the African Football Confederation (CAF) expressed support for Infantino’s leadership and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, due process and good governance across world football.