Gianni Infantino is up against it, with his senior adviser quitting and the Asian Football Confederation backing UEFA and Concacaf over serious concerns about FIFA’s controversial proposal to sell a stake in the business operations of the World Cup.
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The world football governing body hit back at critics on Friday, vowing to press ahead with an “open and democratic” consultation with stakeholders on its proposed investment plan.
It came after European governing body UEFA revealed it will boycott the World Cup if FIFA presses ahead with its contentious plan, leaving world football on the brink of civil war.
FIFA and president Infantino sparked immediate worldwide backlash after unveiling a scheme to create a semi-private subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, with the sporting body holding a majority share.
It would leave its 211 member nations with a 20 per cent share, with the remaining 20-30 per cent stake sold off to private investors.
The response has been scathing, with UEFA and North and Central American body CONCACAF among the first voice their protest of the plan.
UEFA then escalated matters even further, with its 55 member nations voting unanimously to boycott all FIFA-run events – including the men’s and women’s World Cups – if it goes ahead.
Now the AFC has put on a statement, with it looking like a clear majority of FIFA’s members are opposed to Infantino with sources telling The Times he is now fighting for his future as president.
Making matters worse, Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro has now resigned in protest according to Sky News.
“Football has been central to my life, and after more than 35 years in banking, I understand both the value of this asset and the consequences of giving part of it away. That is why this proposal should be rejected,” Cordeiro said in a statement.
“Fifa already has access to extraordinary financial resources. The organisation sits on billions of dollars in reserves and no debt. The Fifa president himself has highlighted the $15billion in revenue generated between 2022 and 2026. If member associations believe additional investment is needed to develop the game, Fifa already has the financial capacity to provide that support from its existing resources.
“Against that backdrop, selling a permanent stake in football’s most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense. It is mortgaging football’s future without any compelling justification.
“This proposal has become a defining question for FIFA’s future. After careful consideration, I can no longer continue in my role as Senior Advisor to the FIFA President. I have therefore resigned with immediate effect.”
“Let me be clear: I had no involvement in this proposal, and I oppose it unequivocally,” Cordeiro added.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Europe (55 Fifa members) and Concacaf (35) have already opposed FIFA’s plans, which means just 16 of Asia’s 46 members would need to do the same for a majority of FIFA’s 211 nations to be against Infantino’s proposal.
“The AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF in expressing serious concerns over FIFA’s proposal to introduce privateinvestment into FIFA’s flagship competitions,” the Kuala Lumpur-based body said in a statement.
“The fact that the situation has reached the point where the real possibility of a FIFA World Cup boycott has entered publicdiscourse should concern everyone who cares about the future of our game,” said the AFC, which represents 47 member nations, including Australia, China, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
Even UK prime minister Andy Burnham called for Infantino’s resignation, declaring the FIFA president is “the wrong man to lead the organisation”.
“This was an outrageous suggestion. The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, that the FIFA is the wrong man to lead the organisation,” he added.
Earlier, FIFA responded in a statement by declaring all of its member associations should have a chance to consider the plan.
“Nobody is selling football,” FIFA said in the statement.
“This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”
FIFA said it had heard the feedback from confederations including UEFA and CONCACAF — the governing body for North and Central America.
“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” the statement said.
“Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each (member association) has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”
The statement drew the ire of the football world, with The Athletic reporter James Pearce describing it as “absolutely shameless”.
FIFA has said the plan could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative.
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 $8.0 million to $20 million.
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“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,” UEFA said in a statement.
“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.
“It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.”
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England’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the country’s sporting administration, The Football Association, would have the support of the government.
“Football belongs to the fans, not billionaire investors. Enough is enough. It’s time to take a stand to protect our game,” she said.
The Asian Football Confederation have released a statement of their own expressing their “concern and disappointment” in FIFA’s plan – though without outright expressing their opposition or joining UEFA in a boycott.
“The AFC has always welcomed efforts to explore innovative approaches that can contribute to the continued development, growth and sustainability of football globally,” the statement reads.
“However, the AFC notes with concern and disappointment that it was not consulted by FIFA at any level prior to the public announcement of this proposal, and nor has it received any detailed governance, financial or legal analysis of the proposal and its potential repercussions, which is totally unacceptable.
“Furthermore, the AFC is deeply concerned that FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of Continental football, which are based on solidarity, cooperation and transparency. Moreover, such an initiative will not succeed without the support of all the Confederations, which is not the case now.
“Given the significance and potential implications of such an initiative, the AFC believes that matters of this nature should first be thoroughly examined and discussed through the appropriate legal and governance channels, with the full participation of the Confederation, MAs and all relevant stakeholders. This is the minimum that should be expected for a decision impacting all levels of the game in Asia and beyond, and which constitutes a significant departure from established practice.”
The fracture leaves Infantino’s job hanging by a thread, with UEFA reportedly backing a leadership spill.
The Telegraph have reported the body supports Qatari sports executive and Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi as leader.
One unnamed source told the outlet that they would support anyone to succeed Infantino … except for US President Donald Trump and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.
UEFA have a long and tumultuous relationship with Infantino, who was previously the body’s secretary-general during his time at FIFA’s helm.
In 2021, a plan from the Swiss administrator to hold a World Cup every two years saw the conference threaten to allow member nations to elect to boycott the tournament.
FIFA had hoped to raise up to $4.2 billion from the sale, based on a valuation of $20 billion for the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative.
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 $8.0 million to $20 million.
A $40 million carrot dangled in front of each association by Infantino to allow the move to go ahead immediately led to allegations of bribery.
But UEFA’s boycott instantly cripples those plans, with a World Cup shorn of European powerhouses, including reigning men’s and women’s champions Spain, 2018 winners France and 2026 semi-finalists England, to have its value plummet.
“There is no way Infantino can sell FFE, and guarantee the level of money promised, without UEFA teams supporting it,” football broadcaster Ben Jacobs wrote on X.
According to reports, a two-hour UEFA delegates meeting featured not a single voice in support of Infantino, though Czech football association president David Trunda had previously defended the plan.
“They’re trying to do a deal that gives us back our money,” a UEFA delegate is reported to have said of the proposal, according to a report by The Telegraph.
Infantino described the initiative on Wednesday as a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally”.
But UEFA, whose president Aleksander Ceferin boycotted the World Cup final to show unhappiness with FIFA, argued: “This model has no place in world football.
“Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return.
“Nor can the interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain,” Ceferin said.
“Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation.”
The FIFA proposal has drawn criticism from not only UEFA but also several leading European federations and European Union officials, who view it as another step in the commercialisation of sport and have raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest.
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The EU praised UEFA on Thursday for “defending the integrity of the game”.
“I welcome this UEFA statement and fully support its position,” European commissioner for sports Glenn Micallef said in a social media post.
“Proud to see Europe’s football associations leading on governance, standing firm on their principles,” he posted.
The 41 members of CONCACAF, including the three co-hosts of the recent World Cup – the United States, Mexico and Canada – unanimously rejected the proposal on Thursday.
North and Central American football’s governing body said “the membership expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies”.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also expressed concern that the FIFA proposal was made public before all 211 member associations were fully consulted.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has urged its members to review FIFA’s divisive plan.
UEFA said in its statement Thursday that the World Cup was “one of football’s greatest sporting legacies … built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent.
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“It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game,” UEFA said.
“This is not merely a profound failure of leadership but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.
“National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum – accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences.
“This is not a ‘democratic decision’ but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.”
UEFA added: “There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are prepared to accept but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments.
“Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.”