29.07.2026, 10:02 Uhr
Britsh Prime Minister Andy Burnham and former FIFA president Joseph Blatter have joined the critics on plans of the ruling football body to set up a private company to run the World Cup and other events.
FIFA announced its plans on Tuesday, saying it was aiming to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to merge the sale of FIFA’s commercial rights with the operational delivery of its tournaments led by the World, which generates the most income for FIFA.
FIFA said that FFE would be open to private investors to acquire minority stakes and valued the entity at $20 billion. FIFA said it wants to generate $4.2 billion this year to distribute among its 211 member federations, pending approval.
The plans were swiftly condemned by Europe's governing body UEFA and Burnham joined the critics late Tuesday on social media.
“Let me say this very directly. Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine," Burnham said.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell. Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.
“Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.”
Blatter, who presided over FIFA until 2015 before Gianni Infantino followed in 2016, was also not impressed.
"The close relationship between the FIFA President and the US President has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football. No one has the right to sell our game," Blatter said on X.
Infantino has been criticised for being close to US President Donald Trump. The Times reported that individuals associated with Trump’s US administration had also been involved in the FIFA plans.
Source: Dpa-international.com
