The football associations of Denmark, Finland, and Sweden sent a letter to European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef on September 2-3, 2026, requesting a meeting to discuss serious governance issues at FIFA under President Gianni Infantino [1, 2, 3, 4].
The letter was signed by the presidents of the three Nordic associations: Ari Lahti of Finland, Jesper Moller of Denmark, and Simon Astrom of Sweden. They requested the meeting take place in Brussels to address transparency and decision-making concerns they hold about FIFA [1, 2, 3, 4].
The associations expressed particular unease about the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. That plan, which FIFA withdrew following widespread opposition, would have allowed private investors minority stakes in a FIFA commercial entity controlling rights to major competitions, including the World Cup [1, 2, 3, 4].
They said the FFE proposal raised fundamental questions regarding control over the future of world football. Lack of transparency, consultation, and democratic accountability were cited as key issues prompting their concerns [1, 2, 3, 4]. Despite FIFA’s withdrawal of the proposal, the Nordic groups argued that the governance problems it exposed remain unresolved [3, 4].
In August 2026, all six Nordic FIFA member associations (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands) publicly declared they had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership. They called for an independent investigation specifically into the FFE proposal and a broader external review of FIFA’s governance structures [1, 2].
The letter also referenced the 2021 European Super League incident as an example when football authorities and EU policymakers worked together to defend a model based on openness, democratic participation, sporting merit, and solidarity—values the Nordics seek to uphold now [1, 2, 3, 4].
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF have jointly accused Infantino of breaking trust through deception regarding the FFE proposal and demanded a fully independent review of FIFA governance [3, 4].
The Nordic presidents wrote, "Together we must ensure that the soul of football is never put up for sale again," highlighting their determination to preserve democratic control over the sport [3].
The requested meeting with Commissioner Micallef will be a key next step to address these governance concerns and discuss possible EU involvement or oversight in securing football’s future integrity.
