'Withdrawing the project was absolutely necessary,' says Wenger on FIFA's FFE U-turn
New Delhi, Aug 4
FIFA's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger has backed the decision to withdraw the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, saying abandoning the project was 'absolutely necessary and beyond question' and reaffirming his belief in an independent and transparent world governing body.
In a statement, Wenger clarified that he had no involvement in the strategic proposal, which sought to create a commercial subsidiary to manage FIFA's major competition rights, including the FIFA World Cup, while allowing private investors to acquire an equity stake.
"The recent events at FIFA deserve some clarity from my side. At FIFA, I am the chief of global football development. Together with my team, I oversee the data analysis of the game, the FIFA Online Training Centre, the development of youth education through 60 academies across 60 countries where they are most needed, and youth competitions around the world. In addition, I am a technical adviser to IFAB," Wenger said in a statement.
The former Arsenal manager stressed that he first learned of the proposal through media reports.
"I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports. The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity," he added.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced the withdrawal of the FFE proposal after it triggered widespread opposition from UEFA, Concacaf, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and several national associations, as well as criticism from within FIFA.
The proposal had envisaged the creation of a new commercial entity to manage the rights of FIFA's flagship competitions, with external investors permitted to purchase an equity stake. FIFA had argued the initiative would generate additional revenue to expand development funding for its 211 member associations.
However, the project drew sharp criticism over governance and transparency, prompting Infantino to abandon the plan, saying it had created divisions within world football that were no longer in the interests of the game.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wenger sahab stays classy as always. Came out clean and clarified his position without throwing anyone under the bus. This is how legends handle pressure - with dignity, not drama.
Honestly, FIFA needs to be more transparent. This whole episode shows there's still too much secrecy at the top. But at least they listened to the backlash and withdrew. Better late than never, I guess.
India has 1.4 billion people and we still struggle to qualify for the World Cup. Meanwhile, FIFA is busy with these corporate games. Focus on growing football in developing nations like ours instead of these silly proposals! 🙏
Smart move by Wenger to distance himself early. The man knows his legacy matters more than being caught in FIFA's political mess. Respect for choosing integrity over power plays.
The way UEFA and AFC united against this shows how seriously they take football governance. Hopefully Infantino learns from this - football is for fans, not for shareholders. The Beautiful Game must stay pure! ⚽
Typical FIFA drama - propose something controversial, face backlash, then act like it never happened. But credit where due: withdrawing shows they can still listen. Now let's hope they actually focus on developing football in Asia
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