By Adegboyega Adeleye
World football governing body FIFA has defended its controversial proposal to bring private investment into the FIFA World Cup, insisting that “nobody is selling football” after UEFA and several continental confederations threatened to boycott its competitions.
In a statement released on Friday, FIFA said it would continue its consultation process on the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial subsidiary that would oversee the World Cup and other major tournaments, despite mounting opposition from European football authorities.
“We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations,” FIFA said.
“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.
