Concacaf blocks Infantino's World Cup financing plan

All 41 Concacaf member associations formally rejected FIFA president Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell a 21 percent stake in the new FIFA Forward Enterprises for £3.2 billion, a plan intended to finance the FIFA World Cup and other major events, following a Thursday afternoon meeting of the regional body.

The Concacaf statement quoted members saying, “during the meeting, the membership expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies.”

The statement also questioned the need for private‑equity investment to fund new and existing FIFA Forward programmes after what was described as the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history. Members argued that existing financing mechanisms should suffice.

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Concacaf formally rejected the proposal and urged FIFA Council members to instruct the FIFA President to ensure any matter follows proper governance processes through staff and the Council. The regional body emphasized adherence to established FIFA governance structures.

Unlike UEFA, which issued its own rejection earlier in the day and hinted at a possible World Cup boycott, the Concacaf nations made no mention of a boycott in their response. Both confederations expressed opposition, but only UEFA raised boycott considerations.

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FIFA's plan involves creating a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprises, to take over the operation of major events such as the World Cup and the Club World Cup, and to sell a minority 21 percent stake in that entity to raise £3.2 billion. The sale is intended to generate the funding required for those events.

The proposal requires approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations as well as the FIFA Council before any stake can be sold. Without such endorsements, the financing plan cannot proceed.