FIFA Defends Investment Proposal, Says 'Nobody Is Selling Football'

FIFA has defended its controversial proposal to allow private investors to acquire stakes in its competitions, insisting that the plan does not amount to selling the sport.
The world football governing body made the clarification on Friday following strong opposition from UEFA and Concacaf, two of football's most influential continental confederations.
UEFA, which represents 55 European football associations, voted on Thursday to boycott future FIFA World Cups if the proposal is approved. Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, also announced that its 41 member associations had rejected the plan put forward by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The proposal requires the support of at least 106 of FIFA's 211 member associations to pass. Together, UEFA and Concacaf control 96 votes, making their opposition a significant challenge to the initiative.
Responding to the backlash, FIFA said reports surrounding the proposal had misrepresented its intentions and disrupted the consultation process.
"We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation," the organisation said in a statement.
FIFA said it would continue engaging with member associations to ensure every federation casts its vote based on accurate information.
"Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain," the statement added.
The proposal has generated intense debate across the football community, with critics expressing concerns that private investment in FIFA competitions could reshape the governance and commercial future of the global game.