The Confederation of African Football has unanimously endorsed FIFA’s joint statement acknowledging mistakes in the handling of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, while reaffirming its commitment to governance, transparency and due process.
The resolution was reached at a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee, which also unanimously reaffirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
FIFA unveiled the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise on July 28, 2026, as a new FIFA-owned commercial subsidiary to manage its commercial and event operations, including the World Cup, and to raise $4.2 billion by selling minority stakes to investors.
FIFA said the initiative was designed to increase funding for football development for its 211 member associations, but it was later withdrawn after criticism of the consultation process.
It drew criticism after concerns that FIFA’s Council and member associations were not adequately consulted during its development.
Meanwhile, FIFA apologised on August 6, 2026, after acknowledging that mistakes were made in how the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise was presented.
In a joint statement, Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström said the FIFA Council and member associations should have been more involved in the process, withdrew the proposal, and announced a review while maintaining that all actions complied with FIFA’s regulatory framework.
