The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced plans to convene its executive committee to scrutinize FIFA's recent initiative to involve private investors in its flagship competitions, including the World Cup.
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe will lead the upcoming meeting aimed at assessing the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, which seeks to establish a commercial subsidiary managing major events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
Under FIFA's plan, private investors could acquire minority stakes in this new entity, which FIFA values at $20 billion, with an anticipated capital raise of $4.2 billion. If approved, the initiative would provide each of FIFA's 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and boost funding for the 2027-2030 period from $8 million to $20 million.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the proposal as a "golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally."
Concerns and Criticism
Despite FIFA's optimistic outlook, the plan has faced opposition from UEFA, several prominent European football federations, and European Union officials. Critics argue the move further commercializes football and raises potential conflicts of interest.
Additionally, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have expressed unease over the timing of the announcement, highlighting that FIFA's 211 member associations were not fully consulted beforehand.
CAF emphasized its commitment to ongoing consultations with its members to support increased financial and developmental resources for football across Africa and worldwide.
