FIFA has officially announced that it will NOT proceed with its plan to accept external investors.

FIFA has officially announced that it will NOT proceed with its plan to accept external investors.

In an official statement, FIFA said the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project was designed to strengthen its member associations and support football development worldwide, particularly in countries where assistance is most needed.

“The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed.”

FIFA explained that the proposal was always dependent on securing majority support from its member associations and going through consultations with the FIFA Council, confederations and other stakeholders.

“And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders.”

However, FIFA said the project had created divisions that made proceeding with it no longer appropriate.

“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place.”

FIFA added:

“Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve.”

As a result, the proposal has been withdrawn, with FIFA planning to engage stakeholders again in the coming weeks.

“As a result, this proposal will not proceed. Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.”