Overview
- Gianni Infantino told FIFA’s 211 member associations this week that the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan to sell about 20% of FIFA’s commercial rights is “buried” and will not return, and he invited broad consultations.
- The FFE proposal would have sold an estimated 20% stake in FIFA commercial rights, including World Cup rights, and provoked united opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf.
- UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin warned at the Portugal summit that confidence in world football has not recovered, declaring “football is not for sale” and pressing for clearer accountability.
- Infantino proposed asking the FIFA Council to commission an external, independent review of FIFA’s governance and to consult confederations and member associations on decision-making roles and transparency.
- With Ceferin ruling out a challenge and no clear European candidate, the fallout has reshaped alliances and made governance reform and electoral politics the central battleground ahead of the March 2027 Congress in Rabat.