‘Nobody is selling football’ — FIFA replies UEFA over World Cup boycott threat

FIFA has defended its plan to bring private investment into the World Cup, insisting that “nobody is selling football”.

This comes after UEFA and several continental confederations threatened to boycott its competitions.

In a statement released on Friday, FIFA said it would continue its consultation process on the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial subsidiary that would oversee the World Cup and other major tournaments, despite mounting opposition from European football authorities.

“We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations,” FIFA said.

“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.

“We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each member association has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”

Addressing the central criticism surrounding the proposal, FIFA declared: “Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”