World football governing body FIFA has defended its proposal to allow private investment in some of its competitions, insisting that the initiative does not amount to selling the sport.
The assurance came on Friday after growing opposition from continental football bodies, including UEFA and CONCACAF, over the controversial plan.
UEFA voted on Thursday to boycott future FIFA World Cups should the proposal move forward, while CONCACAF said its 41 member associations had unanimously rejected the initiative put forward by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Under FIFA’s statutes, the proposal would require the backing of at least 106 of its 211 member associations to be adopted. Together, UEFA and CONCACAF account for 96 voting members, presenting a significant obstacle to the plan.
Responding to the criticism, FIFA said media reports had misrepresented the ongoing consultation process and stressed that discussions with member associations would continue.
“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” the governing body said in a statement.
FIFA added that it would proceed with consultations to ensure every member association could make an informed decision based on accurate information rather than speculation.
Rejecting claims that it intended to commercialise ownership of the game, the organisation stated: “Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”
