Tell FIFA the World Cup isn't for sale

President Gianni Infantino
Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA)
FIFA-Strasse 20
P.O. Box
8044 Zurich
Switzerland

Dear President Infantino,

Every week, millions of football supporters fill stadiums, volunteer at grassroots clubs, travel across countries to follow their teams, and pass their love of the game from one generation to the next. Football is nothing without fans – but too often their voices are not heard in the way their clubs are run.

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned by reports that FIFA is considering selling a stake in the FIFA World Cup to private investors. While FIFA has said discussions are ongoing, the prospect of introducing private equity into football's greatest competition raises profound questions about who football is for, and who gets to shape its future.

The World Cup is more than a commercial asset. It is a global sporting institution built by generations of players, supporters, communities and national associations. It should never become another investment vehicle whose success is measured by financial returns.

Private investors will want to profit from their investment, and it is fans who will pay the price. Greater commercialisation will inevitably drive pressure for bigger tournaments, more matches, higher ticket prices, and decisions driven by shareholder value rather than what is best for the game. Football has already seen where this approach leads.

Supporters have repeatedly had to fight against decisions made without them, from attempts to create a European Super League to rising ticket prices and increasingly inaccessible major tournaments. Every time, fans have shown they are the true custodians of the game.

That is why we believe football's future should be built on greater fan ownership, not private ownership. Across the game, supporters should have a real say in the decisions that affect the clubs and competitions they sustain.

We therefore urge FIFA to reject any proposal that would sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup to private investors and instead commit to strengthening supporter representation and democratic ownership throughout football.

Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.

Yours sincerely,

Joe Fortune
General Secretary, Co-operative Party