FIFA has firmly denied reports suggesting it is planning to sell the FIFA World Cup to private investors, insisting that a proposed commercial initiative under consideration is intended to generate more funding for football development rather than relinquish control of the sport’s premier tournament.
In a statement released on Friday, the world football governing body said recent reports had inaccurately portrayed its proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), creating confusion among stakeholders and disrupting an ongoing consultation process with its 211 Member Associations.
FIFA stressed that the initiative was designed to help national football associations benefit from additional commercial opportunities while preserving the organisation’s ownership, governance and decision-making authority.
“Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain,” the organisation said, dismissing claims that the World Cup or other FIFA assets could be transferred to private investors.
According to FIFA, the proposal would involve the creation of FIFA
