‘It is not FIFA’s to sell’ - Gianni Infantino’s $20 billion World Cup power play puts soccer’s soul up for sale - and makes resistance too expensive
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing backlash for his proposal to sell stakes in the organization's commercial rights to private investors. Critics argue this move prioritizes profit over the sport's integrity and represents a broader trend of commercialization in professional athletics.
Why it matters
The potential privatization of FIFA's commercial assets could fundamentally change the governance and financial structure of global football.
Gianni Infantino’s move to sell stakes in FIFA’s commercial rights is part of a disheartening trend stripping the soul from professional sports.
Earlier this week, Gianni Infantino got a little bit angry.
In a 15-slide Instagram post , the FIFA President took on all of the criticism of the 2026 World Cup. It was, effectively, a laundry list of his accomplishments, accompanied, pointedly, by counterarguments to every single pre-tournament grievance. It read like a victory lap from a FIFA President who knew that he had just about stuck the landing on a North American World Cup.
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