FIFA has pushed back against a wave of criticism over its proposal to sell a stake in a new commercial entity linked to the World Cup, declaring that "nobody is selling football" — but stopping short of abandoning the plan altogether.

The global governing body confirmed on Friday that it would press ahead with a consultation process among its member associations (MAs), despite furious opposition from UEFA and CONCACAF.

The plan at the centre of the storm

Reports in The Times and The Financial Times on Tuesday first revealed FIFA's intention to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial vehicle in which private investors could acquire a minority stake. An investor group led by Thrive Eternal — founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law to United States President Donald Trump — is understood to be waiting to secure that position.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has publicly backed the proposal. Proponents argue that FFE would give each member association a meaningful share in the commercial value of football within their own country.

In its Friday statement, FIFA said: "FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA Member Associations have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries, and that this does not come at the cost of either the spirit or the governance of FIFA or football itself."

UEFA's boycott threat

UEFA's reaction was swift and unambiguous. Within 48 hours of the initial media reports, all 55 of UEFA's member associations declared they would refuse to participate in any FIFA tournament for as long as the FFE proposal remained on the table.

European football's governing body described its opposition as "unanimous and unequivocal," stating: "No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership."

CONCACAF, representing 41 nations across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, separately announced that it too "rejected the proposal."

What happens next

FIFA acknowledged the disruption, attributing it partly to what it called "incorrect media reports," and reaffirmed its commitment to an "open and democratic consultation" in which every member association would have a vote.

The governing body insisted that "each MA should be allowed to review the proposal and have a say in shaping their own future."

The stakes, however, are enormous. Any financial returns promised to national associations under FFE would be severely undermined if the men's and women's World Cups went ahead without European participation. European and world leagues have also voiced opposition, fearing that private investment would push FIFA toward staging larger and more frequent tournaments — further squeezing domestic calendars.

With UEFA's threat carrying real weight and CONCACAF aligned against the plan, Infantino faces a defining challenge to his authority even if he retains majority support among FIFA's broader membership.