FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced the withdrawal of a controversial proposal to allow private investment in the World Cup following strong opposition from football officials and governing bodies across the world.
Infantino made the announcement on Saturday, saying the proposal was no longer in the best interest of global football.
“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve,” Infantino said in a statement. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
FIFA had introduced the plan earlier in the week, proposing the creation of a commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would manage major competitions, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.
The governing body estimated that the initiative could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for the proposed entity.
Under the plan, each of FIFA’s 211 member associations would receive a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027, while funding allocations for the 2027–2030 cycle could rise from $8 million to $20 million.
However, the proposal triggered widespread criticism, with several continental football confederations expressing concerns over the potential involvement of private investors in the sport’s biggest tournament.
The Asian Football Confederation, which represents 47 member associations, welcomed FIFA’s decision to abandon the plan, stressing that initiatives capable of affecting global football should be discussed transparently with all relevant stakeholders.
The Mexican Football Federation also welcomed the withdrawal, saying unity among football’s confederations and federations had been prioritised for the good of the game.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, had earlier warned that its national teams would not participate in FIFA competitions for as long as the proposal remained under consideration.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product,” UEFA said. “No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which oversees football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also opposed the proposal.
Pressure on Infantino intensified on Friday following the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, who described the plan as a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, football and the long-term future of the sport.
South American football governing body CONMEBOL also called for further details on the proposed project’s scope, structure, governance and potential impact.
In his statement announcing the withdrawal, Infantino said the initiative had originally been conceived to strengthen FIFA’s member associations and would only have proceeded with majority support.
“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,” he said.
FIFA had earlier defended the proposal, insisting that no one was attempting to sell football and that consultations with member associations would continue.
However, opposition grew beyond the football community. The European Union had praised UEFA for defending the integrity of the game, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham described Infantino as “the wrong man” to lead FIFA.
Infantino has now said his focus will shift to rebuilding unity within the football community and continuing efforts to expand the sport globally.
“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support,” he said.
