CONMEBOL says football first, consults members on FIFA's commercial plan

The South American football confederation (CONMEBOL) announced that it has opened a consultation process with its ten member associations regarding FIFA's proposal to create a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The proposal aims to sell a 20 % stake in the subsidiary, valued at around $20 billion, to private investors to commercialise the World Cup and other events. CONMEBOL, led by President Alejandro Domínguez, said its priority will always be football and requested additional information from FIFA about the project's scope, governance and potential impact. The confederation pledged to act prudently and responsibly while evaluating the plan. FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the intent to sell the stake, but other confederations – UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF – have already rejected or expressed caution about the initiative. CONMEBOL has not yet decided how it will vote.