UEFA has declared a loss of confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the withdrawal of his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The European football governing body stated that the current FIFA leadership has lost not only UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.
The controversial scheme, which proposed selling a £3.1 billion stake in the tournament to a group of private investors, including Joshua Kushner, a relative of former US President Donald Trump, collapsed on Friday night. The proposal faced widespread opposition from football nations globally.
UEFA, in a statement released on Saturday morning, welcomed FIFA's decision to withdraw the plan. "The proposal was unanimously rejected by UEFA’s national associations and by many other federations and confederations of all sizes around the world, whose job it is to protect football," the statement read. UEFA also thanked fans, leagues, clubs, players, and commentators who opposed the scheme, asserting that "football is not for sale."
The statement continued, "We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account." UEFA indicated it would work with its associations and other confederations to ensure such a situation does not recur, stating that "no option should be off the table."
UEFA accused FIFA of attempting to bribe members with a £30 million ($40 million) incentive to approve the plan, which had a September 19 deadline for response. The proposal was officially abandoned by Infantino in the early hours of Saturday.
Infantino issued his own statement, acknowledging the divisions created by the FIFA Forward Enterprise project. He stated that the project was intended to strengthen FIFA Member Associations and support the sport worldwide, particularly in countries needing assistance. "Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project 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," Infantino said. "Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed."
Infantino's decision marked an apparent U-turn after he had previously attempted to clarify his plans, blaming the media for misinterpretations. The proposal's terminal stage was marked by the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, a senior advisor to Infantino, and criticism from FIFA's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour.
Democratic Senator Ron Wyden, involved in an investigation into Jared Kushner, commented on the scheme, calling it an attempt to turn the World Cup into a commodity for private equity. "It seems clear from the global backlash that this corrupt plan is unlikely to succeed, but it is just one of dozens of shady deals by Trump's family and close associates to get rich from the presidency," Wyden stated.
With the controversy surrounding Infantino, member nations could trigger a vote of no confidence. The threshold to initiate such a process is 46 FIFA member associations. UEFA, which has 55 members, has not yet commented on this possibility. Infantino is seeking a fourth term in the upcoming FIFA elections.
Sepp Blatter, Infantino's predecessor, also criticized the plan, stating, "FIFA is not a private equity fund. It is an association with statutes, regulations, and a fiduciary responsibility to protect the global game. If you sell football's crown jewels to private investors, you also sell part of the game – especially its soul."