Kahn criticizes FIFA for selling World Cup shares: Not all growth is progress.

German and Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn has publicly criticized FIFA's plan to sell equity stakes in the commercial development rights of the World Cup to private investors, arguing that it would affect the very nature of football.

"The key question is not whether this step is economically justifiable," Kahn wrote, "but how much more economic value can be raised without jeopardizing what makes it truly valuable."

Not all growth is progress.

The background is that FIFA plans to package its most important competitions into a new company and sell a minority stake to investors. FIFA hopes to generate billions of dollars in additional revenue through this move. According to FIFA, the new company, called "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE), is valued at approximately $20 billion.

Kahn acknowledged that modern football requires economic strength, but he believes the World Cup must draw a special line. "The World Cup is more than just an asset. It's the most important shared wealth of world football," the 57-year-old former Bayern Munich executive emphasized. The World Cup is not the work of "officials, presidents, marketing experts, or investment bankers," but rather "a legacy left by generations of players, coaches, and billions of fans."

Kahn was particularly critical of developments in recent years. He cited the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, the significant increase in the Club World Cup, and the continuous increase in the number of matches and events. "Each decision, taken individually, makes economic sense. But when put together, they follow the same logic: football needs to keep expanding."

At the end of the article, Kahn issued a clear warning to those responsible: "Perhaps the true greatness of an organization lies in its ability to recognize that not every opportunity must be seized." He continued, "Not all growth is progress." The future of football does not depend on "how much bigger it can become," but on whether economic success remains "a result of what makes football great, not a substitute for it."