European football body says World Cup sell-off collapse should trigger sweeping reforms inside FIFA as confidence in Infantino’s leadership hits new low.
UEFA has intensified pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino despite his decision to abandon the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise project, declaring that withdrawing the proposal alone is insufficient to repair the damage inflicted on world football.
In one of its strongest statements yet, UEFA welcomed FIFA’s decision to scrap plans that would have introduced private investment into the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup, but argued that the failed initiative exposed fundamental flaws in FIFA’s governance.
“This is a victory for the whole game,” UEFA said.
“But it must not be the end of the story.”
The organisation warned that football cannot continue to operate under what it described as opaque decision-making processes.
“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game.”
FFE had been promoted by FIFA as a mechanism to unlock billions of dollars in additional development funding through a new commercial subsidiary while preserving FIFA’s control over competitions and governance. However, the proposal triggered fierce opposition from UEFA, Concacaf, the Asian Football Confederation and several national associations before FIFA ultimately withdrew it.
Rather than viewing the withdrawal as the conclusion of the dispute, UEFA said attention must now shift toward identifying how such a proposal advanced through FIFA’s internal processes.
“We must identify those responsible and hold them to account,” the statement declared.
UEFA confirmed it will work alongside member associations and other confederations to conduct what it described as a comprehensive review of FIFA’s governance, adding that every possible reform should be considered.
The organisation also questioned Infantino’s credibility by recalling commitments he made during his successful 2016 presidential campaign.
At the time, Infantino promised transparency and insisted FIFA’s financial resources belonged to its member associations rather than its leadership.
According to UEFA, the FFE episode represented the exact opposite.
“The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent.”
UEFA further criticised FIFA’s financial strategy, arguing there was little justification for pursuing private investment while FIFA already possesses reserves exceeding US$5 billion.
Instead, it urged FIFA to expand football development by deploying existing resources through the FIFA Forward programme rather than seeking outside investors.
The governing body announced plans to collaborate with football stakeholders worldwide to design alternative mechanisms for increasing development funding without compromising football’s independence.
Although FIFA’s withdrawal has removed the immediate threat of commercial restructuring, UEFA believes confidence in the organisation remains badly damaged.
“The proposal has gone,” UEFA concluded.
“The task of rebuilding trust in FIFA has only just begun.”