FIFA's plan to let private investors take non-controlling stakes in a new revenue body has been shelved after UEFA threatened a boycott and other confederations pushed back, denting Gianni Infantino's standing ahead of the 2027 election.
FIFA's controversial plan to let private investors benefit from the World Cup and other flagship competitions has collapsed, marking the latest blow to the global body's reputation.
In the aftermath of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino hurriedly put together strategies to form the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), aiming to consolidate all revenue-generating operations and invite private bodies to hold non-controlling stakes in the body.
The plan triggered enormous backlash from a number of FIFA's 211 member associations. European governing body UEFA declared that its 55 members would boycott the World Cup over the proposal. The Asian Football Confederation and players' union FIFPRO also expressed apprehensions, and one of Infantino's senior advisers quit in protest, rendering the scheme a non-starter.
The now-shelved FFE was to be backed by a venture capitalist with familial ties to U.S. President Donald Trump, adding to suspicions surrounding the deal.
The episode has reduced Infantino's standing, particularly following a controversy-ridden World Cup where political interference by co-host the U.S. and rampant commercialisation drew criticism. The 2027 FIFA election, where Infantino was expected to be re-elected for a third full term, is no longer seen as a formality.
To approve the FFE project, FIFA had reportedly offered each of its members $20 million upfront — a move that, given each association holds one vote, would have directly benefited Infantino at next year's election.
The saga echoes a precedent from another sport: in 2018, the International Tennis Federation entered a 25-year, $3 billion partnership with a private investment firm to overhaul the century-old Davis Cup, promising extra funding for the game's global development. That agreement lasted just five years, with the shift from the traditional home-and-away format proving deeply unpopular within the sport.
Reporting sourced from The Hindu Football. Photo courtesy The Hindu Football.