FIFA said on Friday it would push ahead with consultations on a plan to bring private investment into the World Cup and its other tournaments, after Europe’s football federation threatened a boycott and other regional confederations issued stinging rebukes of the plan.
Switzerland-based FIFA said “incorrect media reports” had disrupted its planned consultation process but it would press on.
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“We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA (Member Association) has the ability to express its vote based on facts,” it said in a statement issued in the middle of the European night.
FIFA is pushing to create a $20 billion subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run the World Cup and its other events, with a stake of up to 20 percent to be offered to external investors.
