FIFA scraps Controversial World Cup Investment Plan after Global Backlash

FIFA has officially abandoned its controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in its competitions to private investors following widespread opposition from football’s governing bodies around the world.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the decision in a statement, admitting the proposal had created divisions within the game.

“It had become clear that the project had created divisions that are no longer in the interest of its original objective,” Infantino said.

“As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”

The proposal would have seen FIFA create a new commercial subsidiary, allowing external investors to buy minority stakes in some of football’s biggest competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups. FIFA had also promised each of its 211 member associations up to $40 million if they backed the plan.

However, the project had faced fierce resistance.

UEFA threatened to boycott future FIFA World Cups if the proposal went ahead, while Concacaf rejected the plan outright.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) later joined the opposition, making it increasingly unlikely that Infantino could secure enough support from FIFA’s member associations to pass the proposal.

The controversy also triggered internal fallout within FIFA.

Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, describing the proposal as “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future,” while FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour claimed the organisation’s own administration had been “deceived” about the project.

Despite abandoning the proposal, Infantino insisted FIFA’s goal remains to strengthen football globally and said he intends to bring all stakeholders back together in the coming weeks.