Infantino’s FIFA crisis: What is reaction to World Cup investment U-turn?
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abandoned plans to sell minority stakes in the World Cup and other events to private investors following significant backlash from the global football community. UEFA and other stakeholders criticized the proposal, viewing it as a threat to the integrity and governance of the sport.
Why it matters
The reversal highlights the tension between FIFA's commercial ambitions and the resistance from traditional football governing bodies regarding the privatization of major tournaments.
Backlash to FIFA’s private investment plan for World Cups and events was huge; now football reacts to the U-turn’s fallout.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Gianni Infantino, president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), announced on Friday that he was scrapping plans to seek private investment in World Cups and other events [Manu Fernandez/AP] By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 1 Aug 2026 1 Aug 2026 FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said that world football’s governing body had scrapped plans to sell a stake in the World Cup and other events to private investors after widespread backlash.
The response to the plan, which was announced on Tuesday by Infantino, was overwhelming.
The wording of the outcry from around the globe was damning of the proposal , but stopped short of directly criticising Infantino.
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