The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unanimously endorsed FIFA’s joint statement acknowledging mistakes in the handling of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), while reaffirming its commitment to governance, transparency and due process.
The decision was reached at a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee, which also unanimously renewed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
In a statement issued on Thursday, CAF said it fully endorsed the joint update issued by Mr. Infantino and Mr. Grafström regarding the FIFA Forward Enterprise.
CAF noted FIFA’s admission that mistakes were made during the process leading to the proposed establishment of the subsidiary.
Quoting FIFA, the statement said:
“We acknowledge mistakes were made in the process of the proposed establishment of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). It was certainly not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and it should have been handled differently. We sincerely apologise for these errors and commit to them not happening again.”
FIFA also stated:
“With this in mind, we will conduct a necessary review, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting. Furthermore, as already known, the proposal which would have been subject to the approval of the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table.”
The world football governing body added that while mistakes had occurred, all actions were taken in compliance with FIFA regulations.
FIFA withdraws FFE proposal after criticism
FIFA had unveiled the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise on 28 July 2026, as a FIFA-owned commercial subsidiary designed to manage the organisation’s commercial and event operations, including the FIFA World Cup, while raising about $4.2 billion through the sale of minority stakes to investors.
The initiative was intended to increase funding for football development across FIFA’s 211 member associations. However, it attracted criticism over concerns that FIFA’s Council and member associations were not adequately consulted before the proposal was announced.
Following the backlash, FIFA on 6 August 2026, admitted mistakes in its consultation process.
In a joint statement, FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström acknowledged that the FIFA Council and member associations should have been more involved in the process. They subsequently withdrew the proposal, announced a review, and maintained that all actions had complied with FIFA’s regulatory framework.
Motsepe reaffirms commitment to governance
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe welcomed FIFA’s response, describing governance, transparency and due process as non-negotiable principles.
Dr. Motsepe said:
“CAF welcomes and endorses the Joint Update by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafström. CAF will continue to focus on making African football amongst the best in the world and is reaffirming its commitment to adhering to global governance, transparency and auditing best practices.”
Photo: CAF
He stressed that adherence to governance standards was essential for African football.
“For us in Africa, adherence to governance, due process and transparency is crucial and non-negotiable, as this is the practice and conduct we expect from our governments, business and other institutions and organisations. This is also the conduct that is expected from CAF.”
Dr. Motsepe added that CAF would continue collaborating with FIFA, member associations, other football confederations and stakeholders to strengthen governance and contribute to the global development of football.
CAF outlines football development priorities
The CAF president said the organisation remains focused on developing young footballers, coaches, national teams and domestic leagues across its 54 member associations.
He also disclosed that discussions with existing and prospective sponsors, partners and investors were progressing well to ensure CAF remains financially independent while supporting the construction and upgrade of stadiums and football infrastructure across Africa.
On upcoming competitions, Dr. Motsepe said preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Kenya-Tanzania-Uganda 2026 (PAMOJA) were progressing steadily.
Executive Committee backs Infantino
The CAF Executive Committee unanimously reaffirmed its support for Mr. Infantino, thanking him for his continued commitment to the growth of African football.
The committee also expressed appreciation to Mr. Grafström and the FIFA administration for organising what it described as a successful FIFA World Cup 2026.
CAF further praised the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026 in Morocco, describing the standard of football as very high and the tournament as a major success.
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