The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced plans to review FIFA’s controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary that would oversee major competitions, including the World Cup.
CAF said its President, Patrice Motsepe, would convene a meeting of the organisation’s Executive Committee next week to assess and evaluate FIFA’s proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative.
FIFA had on Tuesday unveiled plans to establish the commercial subsidiary to manage the business operations of its flagship tournaments, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, private investors would be allowed to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes in the company. FIFA is targeting up to $4.2 billion from the deal, based on an estimated valuation of $20 billion for the new entity.
The plan has attracted criticism from UEFA, several European football associations and European Union officials, who have raised concerns about the increasing commercialisation of football and possible conflicts of interest.
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also expressed concerns that FIFA announced the proposal before fully consulting its 211 member associations.
If approved, the initiative could see each FIFA member association receive a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027. It could also increase funding allocations for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million per association.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described the proposal as a “golden opportunity” to accelerate the development of football globally.
CAF, however, said it would continue consultations with its member associations while supporting efforts to secure increased financial and other resources for football development across Africa and the world.
The continental body’s planned review comes amid growing debate over FIFA’s proposed commercial structure and its potential impact on the future governance and financing of global football.
