CONCACAF joins UEFA in rebuke of Infantino on FIFA Forward Enterprise

In a terse statement posted on its official website, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Football (CONCACAF) expressed "satisfaction" at the withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, a move announced after Gianni Infantino reversed the initiative. The announcement came in the last hours of Friday, signalling a fresh escalation in the global governance dispute.

UEFA had earlier issued a communiqué that directly criticised the role of the president of the "Casa Madre" – FIFA – accusing him of overstepping established governance frameworks. The European body’s stance set the tone for other confederations to follow, highlighting concerns over transparency and due process.

Following UEFA’s lead, CONCACAF released a hard‑line "COMUNICADO DE CONCACAF" in which it praised its 41 member federations for standing together and welcomed the removal of the proposal, referring to it as the "FFE" (FIFA Forward Enterprise). The statement underscored the unity of the "Confederación de Norteamérica, Centroamérica y el Caribe de Fútbol" in defending long‑term football interests.

UEFA's cultural overhaul challenge confronts FIFA chief Infantino

Victor Montagliani, the Canadian executive who presides over CONCACAF, warned that the plan had been "impulsado al margen de todo marco de gobernanza establecido, sin transparencia, consulta ni el debido proceso". He added, "Una propuesta de esta magnitud no llega a esta instancia por casualidad. Es síntoma de un liderazgo que ha dejado de priorizar el fútbol.".

CONCACAF noted that only 35 of its 41 member associations hold voting rights in FIFA, and stressed that its concerns are shared by many other confederations. The organisation pointed out that FIFA withdrew the project shortly after receiving a message from CONMEBOL, which declined to endorse the scheme and asked for further information.

Infantino pulls FIFA investment plan after global protest

The controversy arrives ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for 18 March 2027 at the 77th Congress in Morocco, where Infantino has signalled his intention to seek re‑election. European media have begun naming possible successors, while PSG president Nasser Al‑Khelaifi told Politico that Infantino "has absolutely no ambition, intention nor interest in the FIFA role". CONCACAF concluded its statement by reminding that "FIFA is not a private company" and that officials have a fiduciary duty to the sport, calling for an exhaustive analysis of the current presidency.

"When the people entrusted with protecting football conclude they can no longer do so from within, the football family has the right to ask how such a proposal was allowed to proceed and who is responsible," the CONCACAF communiqué read, reinforcing the call for accountability across the global game.