FIFA Topper Gianni Infantino says that the international soccer governing body would not be moving forward with a controversial proposal to sell stakes in future competitions to private investors.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that FIFA is abandoning its proposal to sell stakes in the commercial rights of future competitions, most notably the FIFA World Cup, to private investors after a wave of opposition from across the soccer world.
The proposal would have:
- Created a new commercial company, reportedly valued at about $20 billion.
- Sold a 20% stake in that company to private investors, raising roughly $4.2 billion.
- Included commercial rights tied to future FIFA tournaments, such as the World Cup.
The plan proved highly controversial because critics argued it would:
- Give outside investors influence over football's biggest competitions.
- Prioritize financial returns over the sport's governance and integrity.
- Be rushed through without sufficient consultation with FIFA's member associations and continental confederations.
Opposition quickly spread:
- UEFA strongly opposed the proposal and reportedly discussed boycotting FIFA competitions if it proceeded.
- Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also rejected the plan.
- Internally, senior FIFA adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, and FIFA COO Kevin Lamour publicly criticized how the proposal had been handled.
In announcing the reversal, Infantino said that after listening to stakeholders, it had become clear the proposal had created divisions that were not in football's best interests, so FIFA would not move forward with it.
The episode is widely viewed as a significant political setback for #bambinoInfantino.
Analysts say it has damaged his standing within world football and prompted renewed scrutiny of FIFA's governance, although it remains uncertain what long-term effect it will have on his leadership.