Bangladesh did not express any support to FIFA president

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Tabith Awal has said Bangladesh did not express any prior support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposed World Cup rights sale and the 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' project.

A recent report in an international media outlet claimed that Bangladesh had expressed support for the FIFA president's proposal. However, Tabith Awal refuted the claim, saying the BFF had not given any prior support on the matter.

Speaking at a press conference at the BFF Bhaban on Sunday, he said any decision of the federation is finalised after discussions in the Executive Committee and only then is it formally communicated.

Tabith Awal said, "We did not express any prior support. We did not support any individual nor any institution. FIFA had sought the opinions of member associations on the programme called FIFA Forward Enterprise, but our Executive Committee was yet to consider it before FIFA announced its cancellation."

Under the proposed 'FIFA Forward Enterprise' project, there was a proposal to give 20 percent ownership of the World Cup to a private entity. In exchange, each FIFA member association would have had the opportunity to receive up to $40 million. Currently, under FIFA's 'Forward' programme, member associations receive up to $10 million.

Although the project has been cancelled, discussions on FIFA's future leadership and proposed initiatives continue in the international arena. Tabith Awal believes the issue has become part of a larger geopolitical discussion, particularly due to UEFA's strong stance.

He said, "The issue is taking on a geopolitical dimension because of UEFA's strong position. For this reason, I think we need to discuss the matter with the Executive Committee, as well as our Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will communicate our position in the future after discussing all aspects."