Image source, Reuters
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced the cancellation of plans to sell stakes in its major competitions to private investors.
Infantino explained that the proposed project created division within football and was not seen to serve the true interests of the sport, stating, “As a result, these proposals will no longer be pursued.”
The plan had faced strong opposition at an earlier stage. Following the backlash, FIFA clarified that no part of football was being sold.
UEFA, the supreme regulatory body of European football, had threatened to boycott the World Cup tournaments should the plan proceed.
CONCACAF, the football confederation for North and Central America that will host this year’s World Cup, announced that its 41 member associations also rejected Infantino’s proposal.
FIFA governs the operation and regulation of world football.
To pass Infantino’s plan, support from at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations was required. However, the combined vote of UEFA and CONCACAF member organizations totaled just 96.
In a statement released on Friday, FIFA said the consultation process “was disrupted due to misinformation spread by incorrect media reports.”
The statement added, “We respect the suggestions and concerns expressed publicly and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation process.”
“No one is selling football. FIFA will never accept or consider such a thing.”
A senior advisor to Infantino, Carlos Cordero, resigned in protest against the plan, calling it a bad deal for football.
Cordero questioned why FIFA would sell the most valuable assets despite having significant cash reserves.
Infantino’s Plan
FIFA was planning to establish a commercial subsidiary to manage major events, including the World Cup, in which external investors could acquire stakes.
The new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), was intended to allow third parties to invest in small stakes without control rights.
On Friday, FIFA clarified the FFE proposal was “aimed at enabling member associations to gain meaningful ownership in football-related commercial opportunities.”
FIFA stated, “It will not affect the spirit or governance of FIFA or football.”
However, UEFA accused FIFA of using football to enrich insiders.
In an earlier letter to member associations, Infantino pledged that each association supporting the plan would receive $40 million, with initial payments of $20 million available for federations accepting the proposal by September 19.
Had the proposal been approved, Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the proposed investor group for the FFE.
Thrive is a US-based venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump.
Reactions from UEFA and CONCACAF
UEFA and CONCACAF strongly opposed Infantino’s plan.
A UEFA statement said, “The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment commodity.”
“The World Cup is one of football’s greatest sporting heritages, shaped by players, national teams, and fans over generations.”
“It must not be sold to private investors. This is a serious leadership failure and an example of FIFA abdicating its responsibility as the custodian of world football.”
CONCACAF expressed serious concerns over the process, citing non-compliance with legal and institutional regulations and a very short timeline.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) voiced worries that FIFA’s unilateral move could impact the continental football infrastructure.
While South America’s CONMEBOL did not publicly comment, FIFA withdrew the proposal.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) had planned discussions on the matter in August.
What Happens Next?
The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, starting September 5 in Poland, is expected to feature participation from many European countries. A leading European football source remarked, “There seems to have been insufficient consideration of the overall policy impact.”
Had Infantino’s proposal advanced, UEFA’s threat to boycott the World Cup would have come into effect.
Infantino, a Swiss citizen who defeated former Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman Al-Khalifa by 115-88 votes in 2016 to become FIFA President, is preparing to run for a fourth term in March.
Earlier, some European countries and various football organizations worldwide had pledged their support for him.
However, sources indicate that following the rejection of Infantino’s proposal, most CONCACAF member associations have lost confidence or entirely withdrawn trust in his leadership capabilities.
Infantino was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.
Do Smaller Nations Need More Support?
Although UEFA member nations are among the world’s wealthiest, many other countries depend heavily on FIFA’s financial assistance to develop football infrastructure.
Mark Palios, former Chief Executive of the England Football Association, stated, “There is significant need among smaller nations as well as powerful larger nations.”
Rogers Byamukama, of the Uganda Football Association, noted that such nations must seek more opportunities to raise financial resources.
Speaking on BBC World Service’s Newsday program, he said, “Running football is very expensive, especially in Africa where resources are harder to come by.”
He gave the example, “In Uganda, income from the World Cup has been invested by FIFA in various infrastructure projects, primarily funded through ticket sales and sponsorship revenue.”
“FIFA also supports football programs at the school level and many grassroots initiatives.”
“In my opinion, securing additional resources is positive because these are distributed among member nations and especially accelerate the development of African countries.”
Under the initial phase of the FIFA Forward development program, $280 million was made available to 211 member associations by 2022.
The budget for FIFA Forward 3.0, running from 2023 to 2026, has been increased by 30%.
FIFA has also allocated an additional $5 million to each member association and an extra $6 million per continental confederation for respective projects.
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