FIFA Forward Enterprise: project abandoned by FIFA, which has "lost UEFA’s confidence"

"Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place. Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed," Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, said (see full statement below) on 1 August 2026.

The Italian-Swiss executive has therefore abandoned the plan to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial company open to private investors to manage the international federation’s commercial and event operations. The proposal was unveiled on 28 July 2026, despite no confederation or national association having been consulted beforehand.

UEFA…