Nordic Football Associations Seek EU Action For FIFA Governance Concerns: Report

ISTANBUL, Sept 3 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- The football associations of Denmark, Finland and Sweden have asked the European Commission to act on concerns about governance, transparency and decision-making at FIFA under President Gianni Infantino, Anadolu Ajansi reported, citing the L'Equipe French sports newspaper.

L'Equipe reported on Wednesday that Finnish Football Association President Ari Lahti, Danish Football Association President Jesper Moller and Swedish Football Association President Simon Astrom requested a meeting with EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef in Brussels in a letter.

The officials said recent developments at FIFA had caused "serious concern," pointing particularly to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise project.

The now-abandoned plan would have created a new FIFA commercial entity and allowed private investors to acquire minority stakes.

The Nordic officials said the prospect of private investment in FIFA's competitions and commercial operations, combined with insufficient transparency, consultation and democratic accountability, had raised fundamental questions about who would control the future of world football.

Although FIFA withdrew the proposal, the officials said the concerns it raised remained unresolved.

They argued that European institutions, UEFA and national associations share an interest in protecting a football model based on openness, democratic participation, sporting merit and solidarity.

The letter cited the coordinated opposition to the proposed European Super League in 2021 as an example of football authorities and European policymakers working together to defend the principles.

"Together we must ensure that the soul of football is never put up for sale again," the letter added.

Infantino has faced mounting pressure since launching the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal earlier this summer to sell stakes in FIFA's commercial operations to private investors.

The plan was abandoned following widespread opposition, but several national associations and continental governing bodies have continued to question his leadership and the process behind the project.

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF issued a joint letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" and demanding a fully independent review of the abandoned proposal.

All six Nordic FIFA members -- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands -- subsequently said they had lost confidence in Infantino and FIFA's governance.

They also urged an independent investigation into the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal and a comprehensive review of FIFA's governance framework.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth term in next year's FIFA election that would keep him in office until 2031.

-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU