The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reaffirmed its backing for FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the governing body shelved its controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal…reports Africa Daily News Desk
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unanimously reaffirmed its support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, backing his leadership despite the controversy surrounding the now-shelved FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal that drew criticism from several football bodies over governance and transparency.
Meeting as part of its Executive Committee (EXCO), CAF endorsed a joint update presented by Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, acknowledging mistakes in the way the proposed initiative was developed and welcoming FIFA’s commitment to review the process.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise was conceived as a commercial entity to consolidate the sale of FIFA’s commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing, while overseeing the operational delivery of FIFA tournaments.
Under the proposal, FIFA planned to raise up to USD 4.2 billion by selling minority, non-controlling stakes in the enterprise to external investors. However, the initiative faced strong opposition from several football organisations, including UEFA, the English Football Association and members of CONCACAF, who raised concerns over governance, transparency and the level of consultation with member associations.
Following the criticism, FIFA withdrew the proposal, with Infantino and Grafstrom issuing an apology for shortcomings in the process. They admitted that FIFA Council members and national associations should have been more closely involved in discussions and pledged that the matter would be reviewed before a report is presented at the next FIFA Council meeting.
In a statement, CAF said its Executive Committee unanimously endorsed the joint update from FIFA’s leadership.
“The CAF Executive Committee (“EXCO”) unanimously endorses the “Joint Update” by the FIFA President and Secretary General on the FIFA Forward Enterprise and will continue to focus on making African Football amongst the best in the world and adhering to governance and transparency global best practices.”
CAF also acknowledged FIFA’s admission of procedural mistakes.
“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. 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.”
CAF President Patrice Motsepe welcomed FIFA’s response, saying governance and transparency remain fundamental principles for African football.
“CAF welcomes and endorses the “Joint Update” by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom. 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.”
Motsepe stressed that accountability and due process were essential for football administration across Africa.
“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.”
He added that CAF would continue working closely with FIFA, its member associations and other football confederations to uphold international standards of governance while contributing to the sport’s global development.
Motsepe also highlighted CAF’s wider priorities, including improving youth football, developing coaches and referees, strengthening national teams across its 54 member associations and supporting both amateur and professional leagues throughout the continent.
He said discussions with sponsors, commercial partners and investors were progressing well, helping CAF move towards greater financial independence while supporting stadium construction and upgrades across Africa.
Preparations are also continuing for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda under the “PAMOJA” banner, alongside other CAF competitions.
The Executive Committee concluded by unanimously reaffirming its support for Infantino’s leadership and thanked him, Grafstrom and the FIFA administration for their continued support for African football and for organising what it described as a successful FIFA World Cup 2026.
