FIFA president Gianni Infantino has abandoned plans to open the organisation’s flagship competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, to private investment after fierce opposition from football governing bodies triggered a major crisis within world football.
Announcing the decision on Friday, Infantino admitted the proposal had created divisions that were no longer in the best interests of the game.
“It has become clear that this proposal has created divisions that are no longer in the interest of its original objective,” he said. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
The move marks a dramatic climbdown for the FIFA president, whose leadership is now under renewed scrutiny ahead of his bid for a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in Morocco next March.
The controversial plan sought to create a commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), that would manage major FIFA competitions while allowing private investors to acquire minority stakes. FIFA argued the structure would unlock additional revenues and increase financial support for member associations.
Infantino had reportedly promised FIFA’s 211 member associations up to $40 million each if they supported the proposal, while an initial $20 million payment was offered to federations that signed up before a September deadline.
However, resistance mounted rapidly.
UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cups if the plan moved forward, describing the proposal as incompatible with football’s governance structure. Concacaf, representing North, Central America and the Caribbean, also rejected the plan, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) declared its solidarity with UEFA and Concacaf.
Together, the three confederations control 136 votes among FIFA’s 211 members, making approval increasingly unlikely.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa welcomed the withdrawal, stressing that football’s future should be determined through consultation, collective dialogue and respect for established governance processes.
The controversy also triggered dissent within FIFA itself.
Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, resigned over the proposal, describing it as “a bad deal for football” that would effectively mortgage the sport’s future. FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour went further, saying the organisation’s administration had been “deceived” and characterising the initiative as “the project of one person.”
The proposal reportedly had the potential to raise as much as $10 billion, with American venture capital firm Thrive Eternal expected to lead the investor group. Documents prepared by investment bank JP Morgan argued that FIFA’s competitions were significantly under-monetised and projected substantially higher payouts to member associations over the next decade.
Critics, however, feared private ownership interests could undermine football’s governance, independence and long-term priorities.
The failed initiative has left Infantino politically weakened. While he had been widely expected to secure re-election unopposed, the backlash has raised questions about whether he can rebuild trust among football’s power brokers.
For now, the immediate crisis may be over, but FIFA’s governance and decision-making processes are likely to face intense scrutiny in the months ahead.
