CAF asks members to look into FIFA's plan for private investors

The Confederation of African Football has asked its members to take a closer look at FIFA’s plan to sell shares in its biggest competitions, including the World Cup.

CAF President, Dr Patrice Motsepe, will hold a meeting with the CAF executive committee next week. They will assess and evaluate the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, according to a statement released late on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, FIFA announced plans to start a commercial branch to manage its biggest events, such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.

Under this plan, private investors would be able to buy shares in the company but would only be minority owners, FIFA stated. The governing body aims to raise up to $4.2 billion, valuing the FIFA Forward Enterprise at $20 billion.

If the plan is approved, it could give each of FIFA’s 211 member associations a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027. It would also boost their funding for the 2027-2030 period from $8 million to $20 million.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described this initiative on Wednesday as a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally.”

But the proposal has faced backlash from UEFA, several top European federations, and officials from the European Union. They see it as another move towards the commercialization of sports and worry about possible conflicts of interest.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also raised concerns. They noted that the proposal was made public before FIFA fully consulted its 211 member associations.

CAF said it is committed to continuing consultations with its member associations. They aim to boost financial and other resources for the growth and development of football in Africa and around the world.