The Football Association of England and the French Football Federation have officially voiced their opposition to Gianni Infantino’s initiative to sell minority stakes in FIFA. Both national governing bodies claim they were kept in the dark regarding the plan, which aims to secure $4.2 billion from private investors by selling portions of the Football Forward Enterprise. This entity manages FIFA’s core commercial activities, such as broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticketing.
Infantino has reportedly requested that all member associations signal their support for this proposal by September 19. The England FA released a statement on July 29 expressing deep frustration over the lack of transparency and proper governance surrounding the project. They emphasized that without clear details or conditions, they cannot endorse the move.
Philippe Hamidou Diallo, president of the French Football Federation, expressed similar confusion, noting that the federation discovered the major project through a press release rather than official consultation. Diallo indicated that he plans to coordinate with UEFA and other European federations to address the lack of input from member organizations. FIFA maintains that if the plan is approved by a majority of its members, it would generate over $10 billion in revenue for national associations over the next four years.
