FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under mounting pressure following his decision to abandon a controversial plan to open the World Cup to private investment. The proposal, which involved creating a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup, was initially projected to raise up to $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation.

The plan faced widespread condemnation, culminating in UEFA threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. By Saturday, Infantino announced a humiliating climbdown, effectively ending the initiative.

Internal dissent has also surfaced. Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development since 2019, stated that "the decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question." Additionally, FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom distanced himself from Infantino in an internal email, describing the situation as "a sad and reproachable series of events."

UEFA's lawyer, Andrew Levander, confirmed that the organization is actively considering legal action, arbitration, and regulatory complaints related to the FFE plan.

Despite the backlash, Infantino retains some support from a few quarters, including 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar—where he owns a house—and Lebanon, which granted him honorary citizenship earlier this year. Infantino himself claimed, "I was not involved in this strategic plan."

This episode has cast doubt on Infantino's previously smooth path to a fourth and final term as FIFA president, scheduled for re-election next March.

Sources