Faisal Salisu DambattaThe Confederation of African Football has directed its member associations to scrutinize FIFA’s controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in the World Cup and other major tournaments to private investors.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe will host an executive committee meeting next week to “assess and evaluate” the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, the oorganisation said in a statement.The review comes after FIFA unveiled plans to create a commercial subsidiary that would manage its flagship events, including the Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, private investors could acquire stakes in the new company but would remain minority shareholders, with FIFA aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation. If approved, the plan would deliver a one-time $20 million payment to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations in early 2027 and increase their funding allocation from $8 million to $20 million for the 2027-2030 cycle.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has hailed the initiative as a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally.” However, UEFA, several leading European federations, and EU officials have criticized the proposal as an excessive commercialization of sport and raised conflict-of-interest concerns.
CONCACAF and the AFC have also expressed unease that the plan was made public before full consultation with FIFA’s 211 member associations. CAF reiterated its commitment to consulting with its members while supporting efforts to boost financial resources for football development in Africa and worldwide.
