Concacaf has become the second major football confederation, after Uefa, to publicly criticise Fifa's plan to sell stakes in a new commercial entity linked to the World Cup to private investors. In a strongly worded statement, the confederation said it had learned of the proposal only through media reports, expressing "deep concerns" about Fifa's governance and the lack of due process in a deal reportedly valued at $20bn.

Even Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who helped deliver the 2026 World Cup and is one of Fifa's eight vice-presidents, appears to have been excluded from discussions, as was FA chair Debbie Hewitt. US firm Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, has already been engaged to head the investor group, while Fifa's new entity, Fifa Forward Enterprise, set up with JP Morgan, aims to raise up to $4.2bn for development projects. Member associations face a 19 September deadline to opt in, with an initial payment of around $20m promised from January. Uefa has accused Fifa of "selling the soul of football" and plans emergency talks that could lead to legal action.