Brussels: The Association of European Professional Football Leagues released a statement on Wednesday questioning FIFA's management and decision-making amid the fallout from the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise project. 'The overwhelming rejection of this dangerous idea, and the opaque process behind it, raises serious questions about FIFA's governance, internal culture and decision-making,' said a statement on the European Leagues website.
According to Anadolu Agency, the statement also highlighted a research brief shared by FIFA on plans to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams. 'As with the aborted FFE project, this new proposal involves an impractically short assessment timeline (just four weeks) and zero consultation with the leagues, clubs and players whose planning and livelihoods would be most affected,' they said.
The European Leagues emphasized that FIFA must not continue making unilateral decisions that impact leagues, clubs, players, and fans, whose efforts drive the value of international football competitions. The organization insisted on reforms, including legally binding engagement with all relevant football stakeholders, and stated that they would reject any expansion or creation of FIFA competitions until such reforms are implemented.
The abandoned proposal has triggered growing criticism of FIFA's leadership. Europe's UEFA mentioned that FIFA leadership had "lost" much of the football community's confidence. Meanwhile, CONCACAF called for "a comprehensive reckoning" with Gianni Infantino's presidency, arguing the episode exposed serious failures in governance and transparency.
Adding to the pressure, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger distanced himself from the proposal, stating he had no involvement in its development. He described the decision to withdraw the proposal as "absolutely necessary and beyond question," advocating for football governance by an independent body operating with transparency and integrity.
Separately, Jordan Football Association President Prince Ali bin Al Hussein accused FIFA's leadership of linking financial assistance to support for Infantino's reelection, allegations FIFA has not publicly addressed. Writing on X, he said Jordan was still waiting for prize money earned by its players after finishing as runners-up at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar in December. He alleged that during the World Cup, he was told verbally that endorsing Infantino would help resolve outstanding issues with FIFA, describing the situation as one that 'amounts to blackmail.'