World football governing body FIFA has defended its proposal to establish a new commercial entity that would manage its business operations, including the FIFA World Cup, after the idea sparked debate among its member associations and faced strong opposition from UEFA, Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF.
In a statement issued early Friday, FIFA said it had listened to the views and concerns raised by the global football community. However, it stressed that consultations with all member associations must continue to ensure every country has the opportunity to make an informed decision based on complete information.
FIFA also noted that media reports published before the scheduled consultations disrupted its planned engagement with all 211 member associations.
The organization explained that the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) is not intended to sell football, but rather to give every national football association an opportunity to benefit from the commercial success of the sport.
“No one is selling football. This is something FIFA would never consider,” the organization said.
According to FIFA, the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) would remain a wholly owned subsidiary under FIFA’s full control. Any commercial profits generated by the entity would be shared among all 211 member associations to help increase investment in football development in their respective countries.
Under the proposal, every national football association would receive $20 million (approximately Rwf30 billion) over the four-year period from 2027 to 2030 through the FIFA Forward Programme, regardless of whether it supports or opposes the creation of FFE.
FIFA also announced plans for a separate initiative, the FIFA Fast Forward Programme, which would provide an additional $20 million to each member association. Participation in this programme would be voluntary, and it would be financed by external investors.
The governing body emphasized that no final decision has been made. The FFE proposal remains under discussion and could ultimately be approved, rejected, or revised.
FIFA said its primary objective is to strengthen the financial capacity of football associations worldwide, ensure countries benefit more equally from the commercial value of football, and uphold democratic decision-making within the organization.
