European Commission reviews FIFA's plan to sell commercial stakes

The European Commission is monitoring FIFA's proposal to establish a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), intended to attract private investment. FIFA aims to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a minority stake, valuing the company at $20 billion. The move would transfer control of major commercial activities and tournaments, including the World Cup, to this new entity.

EU Commissioner for Sport, Glenn Micallef, has expressed reservations regarding the initiative, warning that further commercialization of football could lead to conflicts of interest, governance issues, and violations of EU competition law. While the Commission maintains that international sports organizations hold primary authority over global events, it emphasized that such bodies must adhere to competition rules when acting as businesses. The Commission confirmed it will evaluate any formal complaints submitted against the project. Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stated it will review the proposal at its next meeting.