Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been forced into a humiliating retreat, abandoning his controversial proposal to sell stakes in the governing body’s premier competitions to private investors.
The plan, which aimed to create a commercial subsidiary to run events like the World Cup, collapsed after facing fierce opposition from major football confederations, including Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation.
The backlash was so severe that it triggered the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy, who slammed the proposal as a 'bad deal' that would 'mortgage football's future.' The scheme, which reportedly involved investment from the American venture capital firm Thrive Eternal, was marketed as a way to increase payouts to member associations.
However, internal dissent reached a boiling point when Fifa’s own chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, claimed the administration had been 'deceived' regarding the project.
With Uefa threatening to boycott tournaments and a clear majority of the 211 member associations poised to vote against him, Infantino’s attempt to consolidate power through private equity has left his leadership in tatters.
As he faces a re-election bid for a fourth term this March, the president now finds himself isolated, with critics pointing to the failed initiative as evidence of fundamental flaws in his decision-making and a lack of transparency.
The collapse of the plan marks a significant blow to Infantino’s authority, leaving him to scramble to rebuild damaged relationships with the very organizations he sought to bypass.
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