FIFPRO Europe calls for Fifa reform after Infantino’s failed proposal

Following the withdrawal of its failed Forward Enterprise proposal, Fifa president Gianni Infantino has sparked calls for reform to the sport's governing body. European soccer players' union FIFPRO Europe published a study on Monday, highlighting the dangerous flaws in Fifa's decision-making structures that were exposed by the abandoned initiative.

The group argues that the proposal would have converted the sport's major competitions into assets for private capital without proper consultation from key stakeholders. FIFPRO Europe maintains that the governance issues that led to the proposal's development remain unresolved. The proposed Forward Enterprise (FFE) would have turned football's flagship competitions into sellable investments, according to the report, created in collaboration with Player IQ and Football Benchmark.

The union supports initiatives to boost funding for smaller federations, but insists that any solidarity mechanism must be developed jointly by all stakeholders, not imposed unilaterally. The study reveals that European clubs employed 856 players for the expanded 2026 World Cup, accounting for 94% of the tournament's total player value, with all 20 individual award winners across the last five World Cups working for European clubs.

The report also notes that the percentage of World Cup revenue distributed as prize money to participating countries has dropped from 10.5% in 2006 to about 7.7% in 2026, despite revenue growth. FIFPRO Europe urges the formal participation of players, clubs, and leagues in football governance, alongside national associations, to protect the sport's critical infrastructure.