FIFA has officially withdrawn its proposal to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup and other competitions to private investors following strong opposition from major football bodies and threats of a boycott.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the decision on Saturday, explaining that while the FIFA Forward Enterprise project was designed to strengthen member associations and support football development globally, extensive consultations revealed that the proposal had become divisive.
He said FIFA’s priority remains uniting the football community and confirmed the initiative would no longer proceed.
The move follows objections from the Union of European Football Associations, with the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football also backing calls against the plan.
FIFA had earlier defended the proposal as a means of generating additional funding for member associations.
However, concerns over private investment influencing the governance and future direction of world football ultimately prompted the governing body to abandon the initiative.