FIFA’s plans to sell a stake in the business operations of the World Cup and its other competitions through the creation of a semi-private subsidiary has sparked disbelief and outrage globally.
AFP Sport highlights the pick of the reaction:
Sporting
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
— European football’s governing body UEFA.
“FIFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends. We can grow the game correctly. It’s time to prioritise associations, clubs, leagues, players and fans.”
— UEFA statement on Wednesday after learning of a letter FIFA president Gianni Infantino sent to member associations telling them they had until September 19 to accept the deal.
“We are deeply concerned by the lack of due process.”
— CONCACAF, which governs North and Central American football and three of whose members, the USA, Canada and Mexico, co-hosted the World Cup.
“Many in European football see FIFA’s plans as an absolute attack on football. I share this view. A line has been crossed here.
“At the World Cup, six European teams reached the quarter-finals and three the semi-finals. If European football stands united against these plans, that carries a great deal of weight.”
— Hans-Joachim Watzke, vice-president of the German football Association (DFB) and Borussia Dortmund president, to magazine Kicker.
“Right now, I get the feeling that FIFA exists solely to make a profit. It feels like the only goal is to rake in money from every possible avenue. I consider myself a child of football — I’ve been involved in the sport for decades — and even I find this disgusting.”
— Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl.
“The AFC was not consulted on the proposal and is disappointed that a matter of such significance entered the public domain before the AFC family had been afforded the opportunity to examine and discuss it through the appropriate and established governance channels.”
— Asian Football Confederation.
“As an institution that represents over 850 football clubs –- whose member clubs, their players and communities are fundamental participants in football worldwide, not least in FIFA’s competitions including all the international club competitions –- it would be wholly appropriate for EFC to be fully consulted on a proposal of such magnitude.
“EFC learned about this proposal in the same way as most global football stakeholders -– without warning and through the media.”
— European Football Clubs.
“Infantino is not the solution to FIFA’s governance. He is the problem. We are venturing deeper into the iceberg and what remains to surface.”
— Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish football league.
“Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved.”
— English football’s governing body the Football Association (FA).
“The developments of recent days cannot be viewed in isolation. For quite some time now, in many different cases, we have expressed, both internally and externally, our concern about increasingly deficient procedures within FIFA’s leadership, particularly the lack of transparency, the insufficient involvement of the council, and the absence of the necessary distance from heads of state and external stakeholders who are seeking to influence the course of football.”
— Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness.
“It raises a lot of question marks for the federations, who have not been involved in the talks and do not have to hand the specific details to be able to comment on these topics which are fundamental to the future of football.”
— French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo.
“The close relationship between the FIFA president and the US President (Donald Trump) has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football. No one has the right to sell our game.”
— Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s disgraced predecessor, referring to the claim that one of the potential investors could be Thrive capital, an investment company founded and led by Joshua Kushner, brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared.
Political
“Hands off our game.”
— European Union Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef on X.
“Particular concern arises when FIFA’s regulatory powers become aligned with the financial interests of private entities. When the value of investments depends on decisions made by FIFA. That raises profound questions about governance, independence and conflicts of interest.”
— Micallef fires a warning shot across FIFA’s bows.
“Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.”
— UK Prime Minister and Everton supporter Andy Burnham, who worked tirelessly for justice for the families of the Liverpool fans killed in the Hillsborough tragedy.
“Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough, now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors.”
— Democrat members on the United States’ congressional House Judiciary Committee.
AFP
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