Concacaf and all 41 of its Member Associations have unanimously turned down FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to set up a commercial company and sell minority stakes in the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
This decision came after a high-level meeting where the presidents of Concacaf’s 41 Member Associations, the confederation’s leaders, Concacaf Council members, and FIFA Council representatives discussed the controversial proposal.
In a statement on Thursday, Concacaf said its members were seriously concerned about the lack of transparency and proper governance around the proposal.
Key issues included the lack of due process, not enough time for stakeholders to review the proposal, and the fact that FIFA’s official governance bodies had not considered or approved it before it was shown to member associations.
The confederation also questioned why private investment was needed, noting that FIFA made record revenues from the most commercially successful World Cup ever.
After the talks, Concacaf unanimously rejected the proposal and told its FIFA Council representatives to work with FIFA on other ways to boost investment in football development in the region, using FIFA’s current financial reserves more effectively.
Concacaf also called on Infantino to make sure any future proposals follow the governance rules in the FIFA Statutes. This includes review by FIFA staff and the FIFA Council before proposals go to member associations.
The confederation said its stance shows a commitment to protecting the long-term interests of football worldwide.
“Football’s future, and its greatest ass“Football’s future, and its greatest asset, must remain in the hands of our football family,” the statement read, a stance taken by UEFA, whose 55 member associations also rejected the proposal and warned they could boycott FIFA competitions—including the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups—if the plan is ultimately approved.
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