⚠️ Fifa confirms Infantino project will not go ahead | OneFootball

A FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) collapsed before it even became a reality.

The organization released a statement on Friday night (31) from president Gianni Infantino, who was responsible for leading the project that had already faced resistance from UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC, confirming the end of the initiative.  

According to Infantino, one of the FFE’s goals was to "further strengthen our FIFA Member Associations and our sport around the world, especially in the countries where support is most needed."

But the plans changed after, for example, no confederation immediately showed support. 

"It became clear that the project created divisions of such a nature that, regardless of the level of support, they are no longer in line with the objective established in the first place."

The FFE would have been a company to manage the commercial rights of the World Cup and then sell them to private investors. 

Earlier, Conmebol — the only confederation that had not yet made any move regarding the project — spoke out.

Focused on staying in office?

Before FIFA officially announced the end of the FFE, The Athletic, the sports arm of The New York Times, reported that meetings were being held at FIFA to discuss the matter. 

One of Infantino’s goals was, for example, to remain in office as the organization’s president.

Infantino’s term runs until the end of 2027, and he had no rivals in the race for a new term at the head of FIFA. That scenario may have changed. 

Read Infantino’s full statement:

The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis to further strengthen our FIFA Member Associations and our sport around the world, especially in the countries where support is most needed. Moreover, as we said from the very beginning, to do so only if the majority of FIFA Member Associations agreed and always subject to a consultation process with them, with the FIFA Council, the Confederations, and other stakeholders.

After listening carefully to all opinions, it became clear that the project created divisions of such a nature that, regardless of the level of support, they are no longer in line with the objective set out in the first place.

Our purpose always was — and always will be — to unite and improve.

As a result, this proposal will not be pursued.

Going forward, my intention is to bring all stakeholders together again in the coming days and weeks, in a spirit of shared interest in our game, with the aim of continuing to develop football everywhere, particularly in the countries that most need our support.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

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