SFZ Issues Statement on FIFA Plans: "They Told No One, We Learned from the Media"

“There was widespread indignation among European representatives. FIFA communicated no information to member associations, not even within FIFA's governing structures.

We all learned about the proposal from the media. Had this information not leaked to the public, member federations would likely still be unaware of it today. Representatives of UEFA member countries unanimously agreed not to support this FIFA proposal,” stated General Secretary Ivana Schneebergerová for the official SFZ website.

FIFA intends to create a new subsidiary, FFE (FIFA Forward Enterprise), to manage major events like the World Cup and Club World Cup, and to sell a portion of marketing rights to private investors. FIFA plans to offer investors a 20 percent stake in the new company. All 211 FIFA members would also receive a share in the company, which they would then have the right to sell or retain.

“During the discussion, opinions were voiced that this project (and especially the non-transparent manner of its preparation and communication) could negatively impact Gianni Infantino's potential future term. Europe is prepared to act unitedly and protect the principles upon which football has been built for decades. It is important to emphasize that the financial resources FIFA promises to member federations are already available to the organization without private investors entering football. Therefore, we see no reason to sell off a part of the future of world football,” Schneebergerová added.

In addition to UEFA, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also publicly criticized FIFA's ambitions.