FIFA has backed away from a contentious proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. This decision follows significant pushback from European countries and internal dissent. The reversal is a setback for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who had promoted the plan since its announcement.

Infantino’s Proposal Meets Strong Resistance

Infantino’s proposal aimed to establish a commercial venture to maximize profits from tournaments like the World Cup and the Club World Cup. This plan came shortly after the conclusion of a financially successful men’s tournament across North America.

A particularly divisive aspect of the plan involved selling a minority stake to private investors, including a firm associated with Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner. The proposal was met with intense opposition, prompting Infantino to state, “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.” He expressed FIFA’s enduring commitment to unity and improvement.

European Nations Threaten Boycott

The plan’s introduction prompted an immediate and strong response from European nations, threatening an unprecedented World Cup boycott unless the plan was scrapped. UEFA labeled the deal akin to the “sale” of football. Other regions, such as CONCACAF and AFC, also opposed the plan, though they did not issue boycott threats.

Opposition also emerged from within FIFA’s ranks, dealing another blow to Infantino. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino, resigned in protest of the plan, and Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, publicly criticized the proposal. Lamour stated FIFA’s staff was uninformed about the plan and labeled it as “the project of one person,” referring to Infantino.

Infantino Faces Internal and External Pressure

Infantino, facing pressure after presiding over FIFA’s most profitable World Cup to date, with anticipated revenue of $15 billion from the last four years, now confronts skepticism. Despite FIFA’s financial gains, controversies around ticket pricing and awarding a “Peace Prize” to President Trump have marred his tenure. Additionally, FIFA suspended a red card for U.S. player Folarin Balogun following a request from Trump’s administration.

Faced with significant resistance, Infantino aims to repair relationships. He stated, “Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.” His commitment highlights the need for collaboration and growth in football globally.