UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said trust in world football has not yet been restored following the collapse of FIFA’s controversial private investment plan. His remarks came in a video address to the Portugal Football Summit on Wednesday, marking his first public comments since FIFA President Gianni Infantino proposed a review of the organization’s decision-making process.
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Ceferin stressed that unity, transparency and governance serving football as a whole are essential to maintaining trust in the sport.
“Not everyone puts the interests of the game above their personal ambitions,” Ceferin said, in a remark widely seen as a criticism of Infantino.
He added that while the project that had divided world football had been withdrawn, the trust it damaged had not yet returned and that rebuilding it was now a priority.
“Football Is Not for Sale”
Although Ceferin did not name Infantino or FIFA directly, his comments referred to the investment proposal that was abandoned in July. The plan involved selling a 20% stake in FIFA’s commercial rights, including World Cup-related rights, to private investors.
The proposal faced strong opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which raised concerns about the decision-making process and consultation.
“Football is not for sale,” Ceferin said, reiterating a message UEFA has promoted for years. He also emphasized the importance of those governing the sport remembering whom they serve.
Infantino’s Reform Proposal
Ceferin’s remarks came two days after Infantino sent a letter to FIFA’s Council and all 211 member associations proposing an independent external review of FIFA’s governance framework for major strategic initiatives.
Infantino also proposed consultations with confederations, member associations and other stakeholders on strengthening decision-making, transparency and accountability. He said the abandoned investment proposal had been intended to explore ways of generating additional funding for football development and had not involved transferring control over sporting decisions.
The proposal was abandoned in July following opposition from several football bodies. Several national associations have since said that Infantino’s reform proposals have not fully addressed their concerns about FIFA’s governance.
Resource: Al-Ghad.
