Infantino drops FIFA World Cup private equity plan after global backlash
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has officially withdrawn a controversial proposal to sell a 20% stake in the organization's commercial rights to private equity investors. The decision follows intense backlash from major football governing bodies like UEFA, who threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan proceeded.
Why it matters
The failed deal represents a significant governance setback for FIFA and highlights the tension between commercializing global sports assets and maintaining traditional institutional control.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has withdrawn his proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup after facing widespread opposition from football bodies across the world.The decision came after several major football organisations, including UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, opposed the proposal. FIFA also saw senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resign, while chief operating officer Kevin Lamour publicly criticised the plan.Announcing the decision on Friday, Infantino admitted the proposal had become too divisive."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. Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve.
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