FIFA has promised significantly-increased funding to its 211 Member Associations if they back their new FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme — a controversial new business entity that will sell minority stakes to private investors.

FFE would be FIFA owned and operated, and would consolidate the organization’s commercial rights — including revenues from broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing — as well as the delivery of FIFA tournaments. They say that the proposal would “unlock the full potential” of these revenue streams, allowing them to put even more money into the hands of their members.

FIFA values the FFE project at $20 billion, and would seek external investors to purchase minority stakes in it, to raise up to $4.2 billion. The minority purchases would be non-controlling stakes, according to FIFA, but concerns have been raised about “selling football” and potential corruption on a wider scale. FIFA says they will not launch the project if the member associations reject it.

Each nation is currently set to receive USD $8 million during the upcoming World Cup cycle, which would significantly increase to $20 million for the 2027-30 cycle and then continue to grow, on the condition that the member associations back the proposal and it gets approved.

After heavy initial backlash from European governing body UEFA and other football associations, FIFA president Gianni Infantino offered to double the funding per team to $40 million each on Wednesday, just one day after first announcing $20 million. He has set a deadline of September 19 to make their decisions.

A strongly-worded statement from UEFA on Tuesday spoke out against the decision, saying that they do not support the proposal and encourage others to follow suit.

“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross,” they said after the initial report from The Times before FIFA sent out a press release. “UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Concacaf released a statement in the early hours of Wednesday morning, sharing their concerns with the proposal, and other federations have been doing so as well.

“Concacaf was only made aware of this matter through media reports and, subsequently, via a media release. We are deeply concerned by the lack of due process,” the statement read. “We share the disappointment of many within our region and the game that this level of detail has been designed and shared publicly before any discussion with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders has taken place.

“As leaders within football, we are the custodians of the game. Collectively, FIFA, the Confederations and every Member Association have a responsibility to always act in the best interests of the sport. Every decision we make must be guided by good governance, robust processes and long-term stewardship.

“This is the framework within which Concacaf operates. We trust that all within the FIFA family will act in the same manner.”

Courtesy: Harold Cunningham/FIFA

Infantino is expected to lead the project. He is up for re-election next year and seems to be positioning himself to run for another term, having been in office since 2016. UEFA counterpart Aleksander Ceferin did not attend the World Cup final won by Spain amid disagreements over the sport’s governance.

“As its global governing body, FIFA is responsible for making sure the game reaches every corner of the world, and that the value it creates supports federations and communities everywhere,” Infantino said in a press release. “Our next stage of growth needs a structure built for it, one where the commercial side of the game operates as a focused, dedicated business, with its value shared more and better all around the world. Every FIFA Member Association should have an opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own future, deciding for itself rather than relying on others. This is about the democratisation of football worldwide.

“We intend to invest heavily even in the smallest or most remote parts of the footballing world, places that are too often passed over. Every FIFA Member Association, whatever its size, resources, or geographic location will have a voice and the opportunity to determine its own course. Football has become a truly global game and so the benefits must be felt globally.”

J.P. Morgan and OpenEconomics are working with FIFA to set up the company and attract potential financers, with FIFA claiming there is already interest from investors in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa.

The Times reported that American businessman Joshua Kushner is among those expected to be involved. Kushner is the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The announcement comes on the heels of a different, peculiar, statement from the FIFA boss about the organization’s role in governance of the sport, amid criticism of pre-existing ties to the Trump family and administration.

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