FIFA's ambitious plan to bring private investors into the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup has ignited one of the biggest governance disputes in modern soccer, with critics accusing the organization of putting the sport's most prestigious tournament up for sale.
The controversy erupted after FIFA announced it intends to create a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), valued at approximately $20 billion. The new company would oversee the commercial and event operations of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions, while selling minority stakes of up to 20% to outside investors in a deal expected to raise as much as $4.2 billion.
