Fifa president Infantino abandons $20 billion World Cup plan after global backlash

Fifa president Gianni Infantino said on Saturday that he is abandoning his plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity after receiving pushback from all corners of the football world.

Infantino’s decision came after his senior adviser who sat on a White House panel resigned and Asia’s football body joined Europe and North America in opposing it.

“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” Infantino said in a statement early Saturday.


“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”

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Infantino had proposed creating a $20 billion company to run the World Cup with private investors including the Kushner family, but drew backlash that grew every day since Tuesday’s announcement.

UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions over Infantino’s plan on Thursday. North America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan.

The second half kicked off Saturday with what seemed a clear aim of ending Infantino’s decade-long presidency.

“No option should be off the table,” said European football body UEFA, whose president Aleksander eferin has led the fight against Infantino. “The current Fifa leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.”

UEFA issued its blistering statement hours after the Fifa announced.

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“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game,” UEFA said. “We must identify those responsible and hold them to account.

“It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again.

A WEAK WEEK- Timeline of the drama that significantly weakened Infantino

TUESDAY

The Times breaks the story, sparking UEFA to issue a strongly-worded statement "None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fffa’s to sell."

Fifa finally breaks silence, says: “It would retain a majority share in Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE)” but hoped to raise $4.2 billion later this year by "carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests".

WEDNESDAY

No support for Infantino.

CONCACAF, Central and North American football's governing body says it was “disappointed” and “deeply concerned” at having not been consulted.

The European Union said: “Hands off our game.”

The Asian Football Confederation also expressed disappointment at not being informed.

According to reports, Infantino had sent a letter to Fifa’s member associations saying they will each receive $40 million if they back the plan—but they must sign up by September 19.

Infantino hits back, saying: "Fans from everywhere in the world would gain immeasurably from this game-changing potential because it will transform football in their countries,"

THURSDAY

Infantino's video message doesn’t calm tempers. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had had enough.

"No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive," read their statement.

Infantino took a further hit when CONCACAF'S 41 members unanimously rejected the proposal.

FRIDAY

Fifa fights on, saying: "Nobody is selling football. This is not something Fifa would ever entertain”

But soon enough, Infantino's Special Advisor Carlos Cordeiro resigns, and without mincing words, says:

"Let me be clear, I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally.

SATURDAY

INFANTINO RAISES THE WHITE FLAG.