MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Three confederations reject selling part of the World Cup to private funds; Conmebol asks for explanations

The confederation said it understands that developing football requires commercial and financial decisions

The South American Football Confederation asked FIFA on Friday for additional information and clarification on the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, without coming out for or against it, a day after the confederations of Europe and of North and Central America and the Caribbean rejected the plan.

In a statement published on its website and social media, the body, based in Luque, Paraguay, said it had requested details on the scope, structure, governance and potential effects of the initiative. It added that it had begun a consultation process with its ten member associations and convened a meeting of its Council to assess the proposal.

The confederation said it understands that developing football requires commercial and financial decisions, but that such decisions must always serve the game and never override its essence. It said it would continue acting with prudence and through institutional channels, and called for unity across the football family.

The stance contrasts with that of the other confederations that have spoken. UEFA and its 55 associations rejected the initiative on Thursday and warned they would withdraw their national teams from FIFA competitions if the plan proceeds, arguing the World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. The same day, Concacaf and its 41 associations rejected it unanimously, with objections centered on the lack of procedural safeguards, a timeline they called artificially short and the absence of review by FIFA's governing bodies; it also called for football development to be funded from existing reserves, following the most profitable World Cup on record. On Friday, the Asian Football Confederation expressed solidarity with both positions.

Also on Friday, Carlos Cordeiro, senior adviser to Gianni Infantino, resigned, saying he had no part in drafting the proposal and opposes it unequivocally, considering it a bad deal for football.

FIFA responded on Thursday evening that the project does not involve selling football or ceding control of its governance, and that it would retain full control of the new company. It attributed part of the controversy to inaccurate information published in the media and offered to raise development funding to as much as 24 million dollars per association. Infantino appealed directly to the national associations, noting that the decision rests with them rather than with the confederations.

The vote is scheduled before the 211 associations on September 19 and requires 106 votes in favor. Accounts of the scale of the operation differ: figures cited include a subsidiary valued at 20 billion dollars and the sale of between 20% and 30% of commercial rights, with the fund Thrive Capital among those interested.

Conmebol comprises ten associations, the fewest of any continental confederation, limiting its weight in the vote. Hours before the statement, El País had reported, citing unidentified officials, that the confederation had decided to back the project tacitly.