FIFA scraps World Cup sell-off plan after backlash

FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Keystone-SDA

FIFA, world football's Zurich-based governing body, will not be going ahead with its proposal to open up to private investors. Faced with a backlash and threats of a World Cup boycott, notably from UEFA, it announced in the early hours of Saturday morning that it was scrapping the proposal.

“Having listened carefully to all points of view, it became clear that this project had created divisions which, regardless of the level of support it receives, no longer serve the original objective,” writes FIFA.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a foundation for further strengthening FIFA’s member associations and the sport worldwide, particularly in countries where support is most needed, FIFA said. Above all, it was to be implemented only if a majority of FIFA’s member associations were in favour of it, and always as part of a consultation process involving them, the FIFA Council, the confederations and all stakeholders.

Going forward, FIFA president Gianni Infantino intends to bring all the parties concerned together again in the coming days and weeks, in a spirit of shared interest in the sport, and with the aim of further developing football around the world, particularly in those countries most in need of FIFA support, FIFA said.

Backlash

On Friday, following the threat by UEFA, European football’s governing body, to boycott the World Cups, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated that any proposal threatening the World Cup “should be reconsidered”. This stance increases the pressure on FIFA and its plan to open up to private investors.

Among those opposing the plan is FIFA president’s senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, who announced his resignation from the world governing body on Friday.

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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.