CONMEBOL expresses concern over FIFA's commercial initiatives without dialogue

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has voiced its "concern" regarding recent commercial ventures by FIFA, including a now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. In a statement titled 'Football Comes First,' CONMEBOL lamented that the sport and FIFA had shifted from celebrating a "great sporting event" to debating governance issues.

The confederation specifically criticized FIFA for pursuing these initiatives "without resorting to dialogue or the institutional mechanisms" established by the organization. CONMEBOL welcomed FIFA's decision to withdraw the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE) proposal, which aimed to manage commercial operations and events, after it faced widespread rejection.

Both UEFA and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) had previously opposed the FFE project. CONMEBOL also stressed the importance of adhering to institutional procedures for the upcoming FIFA presidential election, set to conclude with the election by its 211 member associations on March 18, 2027. The organization stated it would not support any actions that disregard these established mechanisms.