FIFPRO Europe calls for FIFA reform after Infantino's failed proposal

European soccer players' union FIFPRO Europe is urging FIFA to overhaul its decision-making processes following the failed Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative. The union released a study alleging that the abandoned proposal would have transformed major competitions into private assets without sufficient stakeholder input. FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveiled the FFE plan earlier this year before retracting it due to widespread opposition.

FIFPRO Europe contends that the governance issues that led to FFE's creation remain unaddressed. The study, co-produced with Player IQ and Football Benchmark, highlights that the proposal aimed to convert the sport's core competitions into tradeable financial assets for private capital. The union welcomes efforts to boost development funding for smaller federations but insists any solidarity mechanism should be jointly developed by all football stakeholders.

The report also reveals that European clubs employed 856 players in the expanded 2026 World Cup, accounting for about 94% of the tournament's total player value, with all 20 individual award winners across the past five World Cups employed by European clubs. This underscores the need to safeguard football's "critical infrastructure" and calls for an independent review of FIFA's executive decision-making to prevent unilateral major changes.

The union urges the official inclusion of players, clubs, and leagues in football governance alongside national associations. FIFA has been contacted for comment on the report's findings.