European football’s governing body, UEFA, has criticised FIFA’s plan to establish a $20 billion commercial arm, warning that the move threatens the future governance of the sport and lacks transparency over who stands to benefit financially.

UEFA said the proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would oversee the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup and other major tournaments, “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.”

“None of us is the owner of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell,” UEFA said in a strongly worded statement.

The governing body argued that football’s identity and governance should not become commercial assets, especially when there are concerns over the financial beneficiaries of the proposed venture.

“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every national football association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game,” it said.

The criticism comes after FIFA unveiled plans to establish FFE, a commercial arm valued at $20 billion, which will manage revenue-generating activities linked to the World Cup and other major competitions.

Under the proposal, FIFA intends to sell up to a 20% minority stake in the new entity to private investors, targeting $4.2 billion in funding. The investor group is expected to be led by Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner.

Despite UEFA’s concerns, FIFA has insisted it will retain full control over football governance, competition formats, the international match calendar and all sporting and regulatory decisions.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino defended the proposal, saying the objective is not to sell football but to generate additional revenue from the sport’s global popularity and reinvest it into football development.

“Football is the world’s most popular sport. Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value, and we celebrate that success because it lifts the whole game,” Infantino said.

FIFA said profits generated through FFE would be reinvested into football development programmes worldwide, with member associations expected to receive increased funding if the proposal is approved.

The proposal remains subject to approval by FIFA’s 211 member associations, with no timetable yet announced for discussions or a final decision.