FIFA president Gianni Infantino has withdrawn his contentious plan to sell a portion of future World Cup revenues to private‑equity investors after a wave of opposition from the sport's governing bodies. While Infantino stepped back from the scheme, UEFA publicly announced that it no longer trusts his leadership, a view that the English Football Association has also endorsed. The original initiative, dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was unveiled on a Tuesday and was intended to bundle the sale of FIFA's commercial assets—including broadcasting rights, sponsorship deals, ticketing and licensing—into a single vehicle that would also manage the operational delivery of its tournaments.
Infantino gave national associations a deadline of 19 September to endorse the plan, sweetening the offer with a £30.1 million incentive for those who voted in favour. The proposal quickly attracted fierce criticism from UEFA, the North‑American, Central‑American and Caribbean federation (CONCACAF), and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Even British Prime Minister Andy Burnham weighed in, demanding an urgent review of FIFA’s governance and describing the president’s retreat as "the right decision" in an interview with Sky News. In a statement released in the early hours of Saturday, Infantino explained that the FFE project was designed to strengthen member associations and promote football in regions that need it most.
He stressed that the scheme would only move forward with a clear majority of member support and after a thorough consultation with the FIFA Council, confederations and other stakeholders. After listening to the feedback, however, he concluded that the plan had created divisions that outweighed any potential benefits. "Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve the game," he wrote, adding that the proposal would not proceed and that he intended to bring all parties back together in the weeks ahead to focus on growing football worldwide, especially in under‑served nations. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the AFC, welcomed the decision on the AFC website, stating that any initiative capable of affecting global football must be presented transparently and discussed with confederations, the FIFA Council, member associations and other stakeholders.
He warned that the future of the sport must be shaped through collective dialogue and respect for established governance structures. Sky Sports commentator Kaveh Solhekol summed up the mood in the football community: "We have passed the tipping point and are approaching game over for Gianni Infantino.
This whole disaster has been self‑inflicted. There was no need for him to be in the situation he finds himself in today.
He is now losing all his authority and his power. Statements from UEFA and other associations suggest they are calling for Infantino to resign, even if they do not say it outright.
This is one scandal too many." UEFA issued its own statement, praising FIFA’s reversal and pledging to work with partners and stakeholders to prevent similar fast‑track schemes in the future. The federation thanked fans, leagues, clubs, players, national associations and even heads of state for demonstrating that "football is not for sale".
It warned that secret, rapid‑track deals concocted by unnamed individuals are unacceptable and vowed to identify those responsible and hold them to account. UEFA also announced a comprehensive review of FIFA’s governance, insisting that no option should be ruled out and that the current leadership has lost the confidence of many within the football family. The English FA echoed UEFA’s stance, issuing a statement that read: "We fully support UEFA's position.
It is time for a full and robust review of FIFA's leadership and governance to ensure that the global game is run transparently, for the benefit of all 211 member nations and with the long‑term stewardship of football at its heart." The Football Association of Wales (FAW) issued a similar declaration, emphasizing that FIFA and its members are custodians of the sport and must prioritize its long‑term growth and sustainability. The controversy intensified after senior FIFA adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling the privatisation plan "a bad deal for football" and "for the long‑term future of the game".
In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Cordeiro said he had no involvement in the proposal and opposed it unequivocally. Another senior official, chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, told the Associated Press that staff felt "deceived" by Infantino’s lack of openness and deserved better treatment than what he described as "contempt and intimidation". Lamour labeled the World Cup scheme as "the project of one person" and urged football leaders to act.
Under the original FFE model, FIFA aimed to raise up to $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion) from external investors by selling minority, non‑controlling stakes in a $20 billion‑valued vehicle. The revenue was projected to generate more than $10 billion in development funding over four years, but only if member associations approved the plan. Speculation about Infantino’s possible successors has already begun.
While Paris Saint‑Germain chairman Nasser Al‑Khelaifi, a powerful figure on the UEFA executive committee, is not rumored to seek the FIFA presidency, other names have surfaced. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who finished second in the 2016 FIFA presidential election, remains a vocal opponent of the sell‑off.
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, despite historically close ties to Infantino, also rejected the proposal. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, known for his distinct vision of football governance, is frequently mentioned as a potential alternative, though he has not expressed any public interest in the role. In summary, Infantino’s retreat marks a significant victory for those who believe football should remain a public good rather than a commercial commodity. UEFA, the FA, and numerous other bodies have pledged to conduct a thorough review of FIFA’s leadership and to develop new mechanisms for distributing resources through the existing FIFA Forward programme, ensuring that idle funds in FIFA’s accounts are redirected to grassroots development across all 211 member nations.
The episode underscores the growing demand for transparency, accountability and collective decision‑making in the sport’s highest echelons, and it signals that the battle to rebuild trust in FIFA has only just begun.