Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he has scrapped the controversial plan to sell off stakes in the governing body’s competitions to private investors following widespread opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infantino said it had become clear the project had “created divisions” that are “no longer in the interest” of its original objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Swiss official added: “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infantino had offered Fifa’s 211 member associations $40m (\u00a330m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Uefa – which governs European football – responded by voting to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead, and other governing bodies also voiced their opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infantino on the brink? Who might replace him if he goes?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Courting controversy and befriending Trump – the story of Fifa boss Infantino.
On Friday, Fifa’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said the governing body’s own administration had been “deceived” about the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Carlos Cordeiro – Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance – resigned over the matter, saying the proposal was “a bad deal for football” and would “mortgage football’s future”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That came after two other major confederations spoke out against the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Concacaf, which governs football in North, Central America and the Caribbean – and hosted this summer’s World Cup – said its members “rejected” the proposal, with sources saying the vast majority of associations from the region are losing, or have lost, faith in Infantino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it stood in “solidarity” with Uefa and Concacaf, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Infantino was “the wrong man” to lead Fifa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It means Infantino is now under immense pressure as he seeks re-election for a fourth term as president at the Fifa Congress in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve,” the 56-year-old added in a statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed the withdrawal of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infantino’s plans were unlikely to pass
Despite rejections from Uefa and Concacaf, Fifa initially vowed to continue with its proposals on Friday, saying “nobody is selling football”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Infantino would have needed the backing of a majority of member associations to pass the plans – meaning 106 of its 211 members needed to vote in favour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That became unlikely when the AFC joined Uefa and Concacaf in opposing the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uefa has 55 votes, Concacaf has 35 and Asia has 46.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If all member associations backed the stance of their governing body, that would have meant 136 nations voting against Infantino’s plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Governing bodies in Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) had said they would discuss Fifa’s plan in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conmebol – South American football’s governing body – said it had asked Fifa for “additional information and clarifications” regarding the “scope, structure, governance and possible effects” of the proposals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What was Infantino’s plan?
Fifa and Infantino wanted to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, with external investors able to buy stakes in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It said it would “invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments” in a new subsidiary – Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Infantino set a deadline of 19 September for football federations to accept his plans if they wanted to access an initial $20m (\u00a315m).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan laid out how Fifa’s tournaments would expand to hit an estimated increased payout of 24m euros (\u00a320.5m) per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It mentioned “new business initiatives” and “attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The World Cup is described in it as the “most widely viewed” sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is said to be “under-monetised”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was no mention in the document of the women’s game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fifa said Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump – addressing the proposals for the first time on Friday – said he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two have developed a close relationship since Trump assumed office for a second time in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Post by News Desk<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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