The Confederation of African Football has begun consultations with its member associations over FIFA’s proposal to open part of its commercial operations to private investors.
In a statement released on Wednesday, CAF said its Executive Committee would meet next week under the leadership of President Dr Patrice Motsepe to examine the proposal and determine its implications for African football.
“The CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, will host a meeting of the CAF executive committee next week to… assess and evaluate the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative,” CAF said.
FIFA recently unveiled plans to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial company that would oversee major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and the Club World Cup. The governing body said private investors would be allowed to acquire minority stakes in the venture, which is expected to be valued at about $20 billion and could generate up to $4.2 billion.
The proposal would also significantly increase financial support for FIFA’s member associations. If approved, each of the 211 associations would receive a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027, while funding for the 2027–2030 cycle would rise from $8 million to $20 million.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has defended the initiative, describing it as a
“golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally.”
Despite the expected financial benefits, the proposal has generated opposition from UEFA, several leading European football federations and officials within the European Union, who fear it could deepen the commercialisation of football and create conflicts of interest.
Similar concerns have also been raised by the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football and the Asian Football Confederation, both of which argued that FIFA should have consulted all member associations before unveiling the plan.
CAF said discussions with its member associations would continue as it considers the proposal, reaffirming its commitment to securing greater financial support for football across the continent.
“committed to continue consulting and together with its member associations… in support of increasing financial and other resources for the development and growth of football in Africa and worldwide.”
