FIFA's announcement triggers upheaval in European football

The tension between FIFA and UEFA has intensified after numerous tough declarations from both parties. Under increasing pressure from European football, the global governing body has formally addressed its contentious proposal.

FIFA has officially responded after UEFA and its 55 member associations announced they would not participate in any tournaments organized by FIFA unless the plan to sell shares in a commercial entity linked to the World Cup is abandoned. The controversy erupted just days after the proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) appeared in the media, sparking a strong wave of opposition from European football.

In a statement released on Friday, FIFA affirmed that it respects all contributions but will not abandon the consultation process. The body argued that initial media reports disrupted the consultation process. Notably, FIFA also directly addressed the fierce opposition from UEFA for the first time, emphasizing that all member associations should have the right to fully review the proposal before making a decision.

FIFA stated: "We have listened to feedback from continental confederations regarding the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and want to clarify issues arising from initial media reports on Tuesday. We respect the opinions and concerns expressed publicly, while reaffirming our commitment to an open and democratic consultation process."

The world's most powerful football body further stated: "Our planned consultation process has been disrupted by inaccurate media reports. We will continue this process to ensure each member association can vote based on facts."

FIFA also completely denied allegations that it is seeking to privatize football. The statement read: "The proposed FFE is only intended to ensure that all FIFA member associations have a genuine opportunity to own the commercial value of football in their own countries, without affecting the spirit or governance mechanisms of FIFA and football." The body added: "No one is selling football. This is not something FIFA has ever considered."

Meanwhile, UEFA remains resolute. The European football governing body insists its opposition is "unanimous and unequivocal," declaring: "No UEFA national team will participate in any FIFA tournament as long as these proposals exist, unless the proposal is completely withdrawn and FIFA provides binding commitments that it will never open private ownership of its governance structure or tournaments."

Not only UEFA, but CONCACAF has also rejected FIFA's plan. Although President Gianni Infantino still publicly supports the project and an investment group led by Thrive Eternal is waiting to buy a minority stake in FFE, observers believe that the promised financial benefits for associations will be difficult to realize if World Cup tournaments for men and women take place without European teams. Additionally, domestic leagues and many football organizations worldwide are concerned that commercial motives could lead FIFA to further expand the scale and frequency of its tournaments in the future.