By Stonix News Sports Desk
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been dramatically forced into an embarrassing U-turn after his controversial plan to open the World Cup to private investment sparked a furious global backlash that threatened to tear the sport apart.
The Swiss-Italian football chief pulled the plug on the proposal on Saturday, just five days after the scheme was first revealed, following a rebellion that saw Europe’s governing body threaten a boycott of all FIFA competitions and key allies publicly distance themselves from the plan.
The proposal would have seen FIFA raise £3.2 billion ($4.2 billion) by selling minority stakes in a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to private investors. But the scheme was immediately condemned as an act of “selling football” by critics across the globe.
‘None of us are owners of football‘
The drama began on Tuesday when The Times newspaper broke the story, prompting an immediate and furious response from UEFA, European football’s governing body.
“None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell,” UEFA declared in a strongly-worded statement.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who campaigned tirelessly for justice for the Hillsborough families, was equally scathing in his condemnation.
“The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone’s to sell,” he posted on X.
FIFA initially refused to comment to The Times but later confirmed details of the plan, insisting the governing body would retain a majority share in the venture.
‘Deeply concerned’ – CONCACAF joins revolt
Any hope Infantino might have harboured of support from other confederations was quickly dashed on Wednesday.
CONCACAF, the governing body for Central and North American football which includes World Cup co-hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico, issued a stinging rebuke, saying they were “deeply concerned” at not having been consulted.
“We share the disappointment of many within our region and the game that this level of detail has been designed and shared publicly before any discussion with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders has taken place,” the statement read.
The Asian Football Confederation, whose member Saudi Arabia is set to host the 2034 World Cup, also expressed dismay at being kept in the dark.
The European Union piled on the pressure, declaring: “Hands off our game.”
£32m bribe claim fuels anger
According to multiple media reports, Infantino sent a letter to FIFA’s member associations offering each £32 million ($40 million) if they backed the plan – but they were given until September 19 to sign up.
The claim of financial inducements only inflamed the situation further.
In a video message released later on Wednesday, the FIFA president attempted to calm the storm, insisting: “Fans from everywhere in the world would gain immeasurably from this game-changing potential because it will transform football in their countries.”
UEFA threatens World Cup boycott
But Infantino’s pleas fell on deaf ears. On Thursday, UEFA – whose president Aleksander Ceferin boycotted the World Cup final in protest at FIFA’s behaviour – escalated the row dramatically.
“No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive,” UEFA warned.
The threat carried enormous weight given that three of the four semi-finalists at the recent World Cup, which Spain won, were European nations. A World Cup without the continent’s leading nations would be unthinkable.
CONCACAF dealt Infantino another blow when its 41 members unanimously rejected the proposal.
Adviser quits as ship takes on water
Infantino appeared to plough on regardless on Friday, with FIFA issuing a statement insisting it was “full steam ahead”.
“Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain,” the governing body claimed, while acknowledging “feedback and concern aired in public”.
But the vessel was already taking on water. Hours later, Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s Special Advisor and a former head of the US Soccer Federation, resigned with a damning resignation statement.
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” Cordeiro wrote. “It is a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game.”
The AFC added to Infantino’s misery, warning: “The fact that the situation has reached the point where the real possibility of a FIFA World Cup boycott has entered public discourse should concern everyone who cares about the future of our game.”
Even CONMEBOL, South America’s governing body and traditionally seen as close to Infantino, failed to back him, requesting “additional information and clarifications”.
Prime Minister Burnham delivered a final blow, declaring Infantino was “the wrong man for the job”.
White flag raised
On Saturday, after five days of unrelenting pressure, Infantino finally capitulated.
“Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve,” he said in a statement. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
The dramatic climbdown represents a significant weakening of Infantino’s authority, just weeks after he had presided over a widely-praised 48-team World Cup spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The proposal, which was never put to a formal vote, appears dead in the water – but the scars from this week’s bitter battle are likely to linger for some time.
What do you think? Should FIFA ever have considered selling stakes in the World Cup? Let us know in the comments below.
