By JKNewsMedia
PLANS TO sell private stakes in future World Cup tournaments have been abandoned after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the withdrawal of the proposal following widespread opposition from fans and football associations.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that in a statement issued on Friday, Infantino said the proposal would not proceed after creating divisions.
“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.
“Our purpose has always been and will always be to unite and improve.”
“As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
FIFA had announced on Tuesday plans to establish a separate subsidiary involving private equity investment to control the commercial and operational rights of future World Cup tournaments.
The proposal attracted criticism from football bodies around the world, including UEFA, which said the “soul and governance” of the game were under threat.
FIFA had maintained that money generated through the plan would be reinvested into football.
Infantino said he would seek to reunite football stakeholders.
“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.
Opposition to the proposal intensified as UEFA threatened to boycott future men’s and women’s World Cups.
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football and the Asian Football Confederation also rejected the proposal, although neither organisation called for a boycott.
The Oceania Football Confederation said its executive committee would consider the proposal in August.
Pressure also increased after Fifa senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest.
“I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup. Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally.
“It is a bad deal for FIFA’s Member Associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long term future of the game,” Cordeiro said.
Fifa Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour also criticised the proposal.
“It is the project of one person,” Lamour said in a statement to The Associated Press.
He added: “Not only must this project not go ahead but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions.”
Lamour also said: “And if that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”
Before the proposal was withdrawn, Fifa defended its FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, saying it acknowledged and respected public feedback and concern while attributing the controversy to what it described as erroneous media reporting.
Following the withdrawal, the Asian Football Confederation welcomed Fifa’s decision.
“The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game,” AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said.
“The AFC stands ready to support any initiative that strengthens the unity of the football family, contributes to the continued growth of the game globally and delivers meaningful benefits to all stakeholders.”
The proposal involved private investors purchasing about 20% of the FIFA Forward Enterprise subsidiary, with Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, identified as the main proposed investor group.
Attention now turns to the Under 20 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to begin on September 5 in Poland, and the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
—
