FIFA offers $40 million to federations to validate its controversial plan

The FIFA is preparing to undertake one of the most significant reforms in its history. Under the leadership of president Gianni Infantino, the organisation is considering the creation of a new commercial subsidiary, named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), in order to welcome private investors while retaining control over the governance of world football.

A $20 billion project

The project involves the sale of a minority stake, potentially reaching 20%, in this new entity valued at nearly $20 billion. FIFA's main commercial activities — television rights, sponsorship contracts, ticketing and World Cup revenues — would be consolidated within this structure.

The stated objective is to generate several billion dollars in order to accelerate football development across the 211 member federations. To convince them to approve the project, FIFA is promising a spectacular increase in financial support.

Up to $40 million per federation

If the project is adopted, each federation could receive funding of up to $40 million over the next cycle. This amount is broken down into two distinct packages:

• an exceptional package of $20 million for immediate projects, through the new FIFA Fast Forward programme;
• an additional $20 million from the FIFA Forward programme for the period 2027-2030.

FIFA assures that these investments will help to sustainably strengthen infrastructure, training and football development on a global scale.

Significant opposition

This initiative is, however, far from unanimous. UEFA, several European leagues and numerous observers have denounced a lack of transparency surrounding the project. They fear that opening the capital to private investors could gradually shift football towards a logic driven more by financial profitability than by the interests of the sport.

Some also worry that future investors could exert indirect influence over FIFA's major economic decisions, even though the organisation states that it will retain the majority of the capital as well as full regulatory and sporting authority.

Infantino defends a 'historic opportunity'

Gianni Infantino is championing a reform he presents as an opportunity not to be missed. According to him, FIFA's governance will remain unchanged and all sporting decisions will continue to belong exclusively to the governing body. The president insists on the need to redistribute more resources to the most modest federations, in order to reduce development gaps between different regions of the world.

Member federations will need to vote on this proposal in the coming weeks. If a majority of them give their approval, FIFA will reach an unprecedented turning point by opening part of its commercial activities to private capital for the first time — a decision that could permanently reshape the economics of world football.