Two senior FIFA executives have publicly distanced themselves from President Gianni Infantino's now-failed plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors, expressing surprise and dismay over the proposal. Arsène Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, and Secretary General Mattias Grafström stated they were unaware of the $20 billion plan.
Wenger said in a statement that he was not involved in the strategic plan and only learned of it through media reports. He called the decision to withdraw the project "absolutely necessary and beyond question," adding that he believes in an independent FIFA that operates with commitment, transparency, and integrity.
Grafström, in an email to FIFA staff, described the past week as a "sad and reproachable series of events" that created "turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept." He assured staff that they would be "defended and safeguarded from the political context" and urged them to remain focused on their mission.
These statements follow similar criticism from FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, who stated last week that staff had been "deceived" by the private equity plan. Lamour called it "the project of one person" and asserted that FIFA staff "deserve better than contempt and intimidation."
Infantino withdrew the proposal early Saturday after a significant backlash from global soccer officials, including European body UEFA, which had warned of a potential boycott of FIFA events. The plan would have created a subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage revenue-generating aspects of FIFA's operations, such as organizing tournaments and selling broadcasting and sponsorship rights. The proposal aimed to raise $4.2 billion by selling about 20% of FFE's stakes, based on a $20 billion valuation. A potential "anchor investor" was Thrive Eternal, a company launched by Joshua Kushner.
As part of the plan, FIFA's 211 member federations were offered $20 million each and promised a doubling of their funding for the four years through 2030, to $20 million from $10 million. The deadline for federations to accept was September 19.
The proposal was shared with FIFA management just one week after the financially successful World Cup in North America, which saw FIFA's revenues climb to $15 billion for the 2023-26 commercial cycle, nearly doubling the income from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Grafström urged FIFA staff to remain proud of the first 48-team World Cup, noting that the abandoned FFE project should not overshadow the event's success.
Infantino has not publicly commented on the controversy since the proposal was dropped. His official Instagram account has featured letters of support from several member federations. Infantino, who has been FIFA president for over 10 years, was expected to be re-elected unopposed in March. However, UEFA is reportedly seeking a rival candidate, with a deadline for challengers set for November 18.