Andy Burnham and Joseph Blatter criticize FIFA's investor plans

2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 29, 2026, 8:18 AM

Last updated Jul 29, 2026

Andy Burnham and Joseph Blatter criticize FIFA's investor plans

Summary

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and former FIFA president Joseph Blatter condemned FIFA's proposal to create a private company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage the World Cup and other events. Announced on July 28, the initiative aims to integrate FIFA's commercial rights with tournament operations and attract minority private investors, valuing the entity at $20 billion. UEFA has also opposed the plans, which FIFA claims could generate $4.2 billion to distribute among member federations. Burnham emphasized that football belongs to fans, while Blatter expressed concern over the relationship between FIFA's leadership and U.S. political figures, suggesting a detrimental impact on the sport.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

Key Details

•FIFA announced plans for FIFA Forward Enterprise on July 28.
•FFE aims to merge commercial rights and tournament operations.
•The entity is valued at $20 billion and seeks minority investors.
•Burnham stated that football does not belong to investors.
•Blatter criticized FIFA's leadership for its ties to political figures.

Latest Updates

8:18 AMYahoo Sports — British PM Burnham and Blatter hit out at FIFA investor plans

What they're saying

"
Britsh Prime Minister Andy Burnham and former FIFA president Joseph Blatter have joined the critics on plans of the ruling football body to set up a private company to run the World Cup and other events. FIFA announced its plans on Tuesday, saying it was aiming to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to merge the sale of FIFA’s commercial rights with the operational delivery of its tournaments led by the World, which generates the most income for FIFA.
— Yahoo Sports

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