Soccer-UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF renew attacks on Infantino over failed World Cup stake sale proposal
Three major football confederations, including UEFA, have issued an open letter criticizing FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his handling of a failed proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights. The confederations are calling for new leadership and have threatened to boycott future FIFA tournaments.
Why it matters
The internal conflict threatens the unity of global football governance and could lead to a significant restructuring of international tournament organization.
(Reuters) – Three of FIFA’s six confederations issued an open letter to the “football family” on Monday attacking President Gianni Infantino’s conduct during the proposed sale of a stake in World Cup commercial rights and calling for leadership that works for the game.
The letter, co-signed by the presidents of UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF, called for an independent review of the now-abandoned proposaland said Infantino had broken trust “through deception” and “placed himself above the collective”.
“Football’s strength has always been its unity,” it read. “We call for that unity to be honoured now, for leadership that serves football, not seeks to command it.”
The Swiss administrator has faced open revolt in the two weeks since he proposed and then abandoned a plan to carve off the commercial rights to the World Cup and sell 20% of them to private investors to raise about $4.2 billion.
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