LONDON, July 29 — England’s Football Association said Wednesday it was “deeply concerned” by FIFA’s proposal to sell stakes in the commercial rights of its major competitions, citing a lack of transparency and proper governance in the decision-making process.
According to British media reports, FIFA plans to create a commercial subsidiary to manage rights for its flagship tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. External investors would reportedly be allowed to buy stakes in the new entity.
The plan has raised concerns that private investors could gain significant influence over football’s biggest competitions and encourage further expansion of international tournaments in pursuit of greater revenues.
In a statement, the FA said it had not been informed of the proposal and had not received substantive details about its structure, terms or conditions.
“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,” read an FA statement.
The proposal comes as FIFA continues to explore new commercial opportunities following the growth of its expanded competitions calendar. The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico featured 48 teams, while FIFA staged the first expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has written to all 211 member associations seeking support for the plan, according to British media reports. Associations that respond positively by September 19 would receive an initial 20 million U.S. dollars in development funding, with a total of 40 million U.S. dollars in funding available. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
