Top Fifa official Wenger says scrapping World Cup plan 'absolutely necessary'
FIFA official Arsene Wenger has publicly supported the decision to scrap a controversial plan to introduce private investment into FIFA competitions. The proposal, which faced threats of boycotts from UEFA, was withdrawn following widespread criticism regarding transparency and the future of the sport.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the ongoing power struggle between global football governing bodies and the influence of commercial interests in international sports.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Gianni Infantino brought in Arsene Wenger as Fifa's chief of global football development in 2019
Football issues correspondent Published 30 minutes ago Fifa's chief of global football development Arsene Wenger says scrapping the plan to have private investment in Fifa competitions was "absolutely necessary and beyond question".
Fifa president Gianni Infantino planned to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, with external investors able to buy stakes.
Infantino had offered Fifa's 211 member associations $40m (£30m) each if they backed the proposal.
But after days of criticism - including Uefa's 55 nations threatening to boycott all Fifa tournaments - Infantino was forced to withdraw the plan.
Wenger has been in a role which encompasses data analysis of the game, Fifa's online training and youth competitions since 2019.
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