The global players’ union condemns “abuse of power” by FIFA following a secret plan to commercialize the World Cup.
FIFPro, the global representative body for professional football players, issued a strong manifesto on Thursday (6) against FIFA’s management. The trigger for the harsh criticism was the scandal surrounding the creation of Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company designed to commercialize portions of major tournaments, including the World Cup.
Despite FIFA’s decision to withdraw the plan, FIFPro emphasizes that the retreat does not erase the seriousness of what occurred. The attempt to negotiate parts of the world’s most important football event behind closed doors exposes, according to the union, profound flaws in the sport’s governance and a clear “abuse of presidential power.”
Threat to the Integrity of the World Cup
The FFE plan aimed to permanently alter the ownership and governance of the World Cup. According to FIFPro, the initiative was conceived in secret, without the knowledge of the FIFA Council, member associations, and, crucially, the players themselves. The union notes that the negotiations progressed to the point of near-approval before becoming public.
Leonardo Jardim stated:
“A plan capable of permanently altering the ownership and governance of the World Cup, as well as commercializing competitions built over generations, was conceived in secret, negotiated behind closed doors, and brought to the verge of approval before the Council, member associations, and players knew about it. This is not just a governance failure. It is a profound abuse of presidential power.”
Demand for Transparency and an Active Voice
In a letter addressed to FIFA’s leadership, FIFPro is calling for a complete overhaul of internal regulations. The goal is to prevent unilateral decisions and ensure that players have a formal role in decisions that shape the future of the sport.
Among the demands are voting rights on the FIFA Council, formal recognition of athletes in decision-making processes, and mandatory dialogue before any changes to the international calendar or tournament expansions.
Criticism of FIFA’s Stance
The players’ union also challenged FIFA’s position following an emergency meeting in Rabat, Morocco. On that occasion, FIFA claimed that all discussions regarding the FFE occurred within existing regulations. FIFPro fired back:
“What is most revealing is FIFA’s own insistence that it did everything ‘in full compliance with the regulatory framework.’ If that is true, it is not a defense, it is an indictment of the current system. No institution can restore trust in a presidency that has destroyed the very conditions upon which that trust depends. The players did not create this crisis and will insist on stronger institutions.”
The current landscape requires a robust response from FIFA to rebuild trust. FIFPro signals that the players, as the protagonists of the game, will no longer accept being left on the sidelines of strategic global football decisions. Pressure for stronger and more transparent institutions is expected to grow in the coming weeks, with a direct impact on future negotiations and event planning.
Equipe M360
