FIFA announced plans on July 28, 2026, to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling about a 20% stake in a new unit that would run FIFA events, including the World Cup [1, 2]. The unit, reportedly called the FIFA Forward Enterprise, was valued at around $20 billion according to some reports [3].
The plan was met with strong opposition from regional confederations. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), responsible for managing football across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, said it was blindsided by the announcement [1, 2].
On July 30, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa called the manner of FIFA's proposal "totally unacceptable" in a letter to member associations [1, 2]. He stressed that "any initiative that has the potential to impact global football will be presented and discussed with the Confederations, the FIFA Council, Member Associations and other stakeholders in a timely, transparent and meaningful manner" [1]. Sheikh Salman added that "the future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game" [3].
FIFA President Gianni Infantino scrapped the plan on July 31 after hearing the views of stakeholders. Infantino said the proposal had "created divisions" that were no longer in the interest of its original objective [3].
On August 1, Sheikh Salman publicly welcomed FIFA’s decision to cancel the stake sale and reiterated the need for proper consultation in future initiatives [1, 2, 3].
The dispute highlighted a difference in valuations and scale of the FIFA entity involved. Some sources cited a $4.2 billion fundraising goal via a 20% stake sale, while others referenced the subsidiary’s $20 billion valuation and the sale of slightly more than 20% [1, 2, 3].
The AFC will continue to monitor FIFA developments, awaiting further proposals that include full engagement with confederations, member associations, and stakeholders before implementation.
