FIFA announced the cancellation of a proposal to create a commercial venture that would have sold minority stakes in the World Cup and Club World Cup to private investors on Friday. The decision reversed a plan unveiled earlier in the week that had drawn immediate and widespread opposition.
European nations led the resistance to the proposal, with the region’s soccer governing body UEFA characterizing it as a “sale” of football. In an unprecedented move, European countries threatened to boycott the World Cup entirely unless FIFA abandoned the initiative. Regional confederations representing North and Central America, the Caribbean, and Asia also opposed the plan, though they did not threaten similar boycotts.
The proposal faced significant internal resistance as well. Carlos Cordeiro, a top adviser to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, resigned over the plan earlier on Friday. Kevin Lamour, the organization’s chief operating officer, issued a strong statement to the media criticizing the proposal and stating that FIFA staff had been excluded from the decision-making process. Lamour characterized the initiative as the work of a single individual and indicated his willingness to face termination for his public opposition.
Infantino, who championed the plan, acknowledged the divisions it had created and stated that the proposal would not proceed. He described the decision as necessary to maintain FIFA’s purpose of uniting and improving the sport. The reversal marks a significant setback for the FIFA President, who had just overseen the most financially successful World Cup in the organization’s history, with revenues expected to reach substantial levels from the men’s tournament held in North America.
Infantino indicated his intention to work toward reconciliation among FIFA’s stakeholders and to continue advancing football globally, particularly in nations with greater needs for development support.
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