Football’s civil war has taken a massive twist with FIFA dealt a deadly blow by the only supporters supremo Gianni Infantino had left.
Benedict Brook, Heath Parkes-Hupton, Tyson Otto and Dylan Terry
The plot to sell off the World Cup has collapsed.
FIFA was on Saturday (AEST) forced to abandon the widely-criticised proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup following a week where the fabric of international football was stretched to breaking point.
The governing body confirmed the embarrassing news in a statement attributed to FIFA supremo Gianni Infantino.
FIFA had floated a plan earlier this week that it said could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), the commercial subsidiary it proposed to run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
It said that, if approved, the project could provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
“The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed,” Infantino said.
“And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders.
“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.
“Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.
“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.”
Investors pull rug from under FIFA
In the hours leading into FIFA’s announcement, reports emerged the governing body was going to be left at the altar by American investors.
As first reported by The New York Post, the group pursuing a private stake in the world’s biggest sporting event pulled out with cold feet as a result of an open revolt against Infantino.
The proposal of buying a private stake in global FIFA competitions was being pursued by New York venture capitalist Joshua Kushner.
The plan was killed off before even making it to the first hurdle.
“They are not the feeling this,” a source close to the American investment group told The Post.
“There is no way they want to continue to be involved in this mess. Kushner will figure out another way to get involved in this space. This is becoming a brand nightmare.”
Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, the White House diplomatic adviser and son-in-law of Donald Trump. Jared is married to the US President’s daughter Ivanka.
Continents unite in condemnation of World Cup sale
While the plot is dead in the water, football remains gripped in a civil war with shockwaves sent to every corner of the globe.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) earlier joined Europe’s governing body UEFA and North and Central American Federation CONCACAF in condemning FIFA’s plan.
Infantino’s position had earlier been further destabilised after Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser within the organisation, announced his resignation on Friday night (AEST).
UEFA’s threat on Thursday to boycott the World Cup was the first dagger plunged into the proposal.
CONCACAF did not confirm their nations would boycott but still condemned the plan.
The AFC — which Australia is a member of — also issued a damning statement in another major blow to FIFA.
Football journalist Martin Ziegler described AFC’s stance as a “devastating blow for Infantino”.
Fellow reporter Henry Winter said: “It’s definitely over, Gianni. 55+41+47 adds up to defeat.”
FIFA needed 106 of 211 member countries to vote for the plan.
If all UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC members vote no, that’s 143 against.
Cordeiro, who spent almost five years in his FIFA role, made the decision to step away due to the proposal being “a bad deal for football” that “would mortgage football’s future”.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa also branded FIFA’s lack of consultation “totally unacceptable”.
It comes after a UEFA statement said: “No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product … No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
The proposal that fell apart
FIFA had offered member nations who accept the proposal US$45 million ($64 million), and set a deadline of September 19.
Under the FIFA proposal, private investors would have been allowed to acquire stakes in the company but would remain minority shareholders, FIFA said. The governing body hoped to raise up to $US4.2 billion ($6bn) based on a valuation of $US20bn ($28.5bn) for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative.
If approved, the project would have provided each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $US20 million ($28.5m) in early 2027 and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $US8m ($11.4m) to $US20m ($28.5m).
Infantino on Wednesday described the initiative as a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally”.
Coup takes shape over $28.5 billion plot
Knives are reportedly being sharpened behind Infantino’s back with reports some national federations have lost faith in the 56-year-old.
Infantino confirmed in May he will stand for re-election next year.
The 2027 election will take place during the 77th FIFA Congress on March 18 in Morocco.
The football supremo retained his presidency unopposed during the elections that took place in 2019 and 2023 after he first took power in 2016.
Not one official has stepped forward to publicly declare their intent to challenge Infantino next year. Time is already running out.
Any possible challenger must secure a minimum number of five nominations from national federations in order to be considered a candidate. That deadline expires on November 18.
While no national federation has publicly called for change at the top of the game, whispers are swirling that support for Infantino is sliding.
Senior football correspondent and talkSPORT commentator Ben Jacobs on Friday posted on X: “Growing feeling from football leaders and federations that Infantino’s position is fast becoming untenable.
“UEFA have been working behind closed doors to establish whether a viable candidate can be found to challenge Infantino at the next election. Nasser Al-Khelaifi has significant support despite his current unwillingness to stand.”
He wrote there are at least 20 national federations considering “revoking their formal support” for Infantino.
“UEFA sources have told @talkSPORT Infantino’s plans are essentially ‘a vote of confidence or no confidence ahead of the FIFA presidential election’ and should FFE not materialise, there will be calls for Infantino to not stand again from senior figures in the game”.
Adam Crafton of The Athletic wrote Infantino is “in bother here” having reported a “vast majority” of CONCACAF federations have lost confidence or are beginning to lose confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
The Independent’s Miguel Delaney reported it was “war”.
“This is now open season, in a way that was previously unheard – at least in public,” he wrote.
“UEFA and other confederations are already looking at prospective challengers for the next election.”
Delaney wrote on X the FFE plot “could finish him (Infantino)”.
Al-Khelaifi, 52, is viewed as the most probable challenger to Infantino.
He is one of the most powerful people in the game and is the chairman of both beIN Media Group and Qatar Sports Investments.
As well as being president of PSG, the Qatari is chairman of the European Football Clubs (EFC) and a member of Uefa’s executive committee.
Those backing Al-Khelaifi, however, face an uphill battle in convincing him to stand as a challenger to Infantino.
A spokesperson for Al-Khelaifi told SunSport: “Mr Al-Khelaifi has absolutely no ambition, no intention and no interest in the Fifa role and all this media noise.
“And instead will continue to quietly and constructively support all the institutions of world and European football.”
