The global football governing body issued the statement on Friday after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF rejected plans that could allow private investors to acquire a minority stake in a new commercial venture known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
The backlash has intensified into one of the biggest governance disputes in recent FIFA history, with confederations representing 143 of FIFA's 211 member associations now opposing the proposal.
UEFA, which represents 55 national associations, warned that none of its member nations would take part in FIFA competitions if the proposal proceeds.
In a strongly worded statement, European football's governing body said the World Cup 'cannot be treated as an investment product' and accused FIFA of developing the proposal without meaningful consultation.
'No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety,' UEFA said.
CONCACAF, which represents 41 member associations across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the proposal, while the AFC, representing 47 associations, called for an urgent review of FIFA's governance and decision-making processes.
The AFC said proposals of such global significance should be developed through 'transparent governance, timely consultation, informed deliberation and genuine participation.'
FIFA, however, insisted the proposal has been misunderstood and denied suggestions that it was seeking to sell ownership of football's flagship tournaments.
'We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise and would like to address the issues that have surfaced,' FIFA said.
The organisation maintained that FFE is intended to give member associations greater opportunities to benefit from football's commercial growth.
'FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA Member Associations have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries,' the statement said.
'Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.'
Despite the widespread criticism, FIFA said it would proceed with a consultation process, arguing that all member associations should have the opportunity to examine the proposal before making a decision.
The controversy deepened further after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and a former president of the United States Soccer Federation, resigned in protest.
'As a senior advisor to the FIFA president, a former banker, and a lifelong football fan, I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup,' Cordeiro said.
'I oppose it unequivocally. It is a bad deal for FIFA's Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.'
The proposed commercial venture has reportedly attracted interest from an investor group led by Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, with plans to acquire a minority stake should the project receive approval.
Critics argue that bringing private investors into FIFA competitions would fundamentally change the governance of world football by placing commercial returns ahead of sporting interests. They also fear investor pressure could encourage FIFA to stage larger and more frequent international tournaments, placing additional strain on domestic leagues and players.
With Europe's governing body threatening to boycott FIFA competitions and support for the proposal weakening across multiple confederations, the governing body's plans now face their most significant challenge since they were first revealed.
For now, FIFA insists the consultation process will continue, but the growing resistance suggests any attempt to reshape the commercial future of the World Cup is likely to face a difficult path.
