FIFA President Gianni Infantino is fighting for his position after a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors for $4.2 billion collapsed within days of its proposal. The deal, intended to create a subsidiary company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage flagship events, drew immediate and widespread opposition, culminating in Infantino's statement early Saturday confirming its withdrawal.
The plan, reportedly involving a group led by US venture capital firm Thrive Eternal, would have allowed private investors to buy stakes in FFE. Member associations were offered a $30 million share if they agreed to the proposal by September 19.
Opposition began swiftly, with UEFA, representing 55 European associations including the English FA, issuing a strong statement criticizing Infantino for a "profound failure of leadership" and "governance by intimidation." UEFA also threatened a boycott of the World Cup if the plans were not abandoned. The confederation stated, "None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell."
Further dissent emerged on Thursday and Friday as CONCACAF, representing 41 nations across North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, rejected the proposal, citing "deep concerns about the lack of due process" and an "artificially short deadline." The Asian Football Confederation also expressed that "football should never have been placed in such a position," exposing "fundamental weaknesses in FIFA’S consultation and decision-making processes."
Infantino's position was further weakened by the public opposition of key allies. Carlos Cordeiro, FIFA's representative on the White House taskforce for the World Cup, stated he had no involvement in the proposal and opposed it "unequivocally," calling it "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." He argued that "[s]elling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2bn makes little sense. It is mortgaging football’s future without any compelling justification."
FIFA's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, also resigned, accusing Infantino of deceiving his own administration and engaging in a "lie by omission." Lamour called the plan the "project of one person" and stated that such actions indicated "a lack of trust, a lack of transparency, a lack of discernment, a lack of good governance. And a serious lack of respect."
In response to the mounting pressure, Infantino stated that the project was being scrapped because it "has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place."
However, the implications of the episode continued to unfold. On Saturday morning, UEFA declared a vote of no confidence in Infantino, denouncing the "shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched." UEFA pledged to work with other confederations to "identify those responsible and hold them to account."
Infantino, who has been in power for 10 years and was expected to win a fourth term unopposed, now faces an uncertain future. With dwindling support and UEFA actively seeking accountability, rival candidates are reportedly emerging, including CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, current FIFA general secretary Mattias Granstrom, and Dariusz Mioduski, a vice-president of the European Football Clubs body.