FIFA’s President, Gianni Infantino has withdrawn a controversial proposal to allow private investors to acquire stakes in FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, following strong opposition from football stakeholders around the world.
He announced the decision after admitting that the plan had created divisions within the football community and moved away from its intended purpose.
“As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” Infantino said, adding that the project had “created divisions” that were “no longer in the interest” of its original objective.
The proposal had offered FIFA’s 211 member associations a $40 million incentive to support the plan, which sought greater private investment in the governing body’s tournaments.
However, the initiative faced immediate resistance, particularly from UEFA, which threatened to boycott future World Cups if the plan went ahead. Other continental football bodies, including CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, also expressed opposition.
The backlash intensified after FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, reportedly said the organisation’s own administration had been misled about aspects of the project.
Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, Carlos Cordeiro, also resigned over the controversy, describing the proposal as “a bad deal for football” that could “mortgage football’s future.”
CONCACAF said its member associations had rejected the proposal, with reports suggesting growing dissatisfaction among some football leaders in the region over Infantino’s leadership. The AFC later expressed solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF’s position.
The controversy has placed further pressure on Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president at the organisation’s Congress scheduled for March.
His leadership has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years, with critics questioning several decisions made under his administration, while supporters argue that his tenure has expanded FIFA’s global reach and commercial strength.
