FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces a significant challenge in rebuilding trust within the global soccer community following the abrupt withdrawal of a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup. The plan, which sought to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a roughly 20% stake in a new entity overseeing FIFA competitions to private investors, was abandoned after drawing widespread criticism.
Former FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce called the proposal "ludicrous" and stated that FIFA, as a non-profit organization, does not require outside investors to promote football globally. Boyce told Reuters that the episode has left FIFA with considerable work to do to restore faith, noting that the "average football fan has been sickened by what has happened."
Calls for Repair Work
The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday, faced immediate backlash. UEFA, the governing body for European football, threatened to boycott FIFA events and accused the organization of putting the sport's "soul" up for sale. The pressure on Infantino intensified when UEFA and CONCACAF, the confederation for North, Central American and Caribbean association football, announced they had lost confidence in his leadership.
Infantino's senior advisor, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned on Friday, describing the proposal as "a bad deal for football." Infantino, who has served as FIFA President since 2016 and been re-elected unopposed twice, is seeking a fourth term in an election scheduled for March 18 in Morocco. He has approximately eight months to regain credibility within member associations, according to Boyce.
Broader Concerns
Boyce also raised concerns beyond the scrapped investment deal, pointing to issues such as ticket prices at the recent World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the application of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology. He argued that FIFA must return to its core mission of promoting the game for the average supporter.
Additionally, Boyce commented on FIFA's handling of a disciplinary case involving player Folarin Balogun. FIFA had suspended an automatic one-match ban for Balogun after he received a red card, a decision that was reportedly influenced by intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump. Boyce described this overturning of the red card as a "terrible decision" that should not have occurred. He also called for a review of VAR, suggesting it should only be used for clear and deliberate mistakes by referees on the field.