Fifa scraps controversial World Cup investment plan
FIFA abandoned the plan after member associations and confederations opposed selling a 20% stake in its commercial arm.
- On Friday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed the organization has abandoned plans to sell a 20% stake in a new commercial unit overseeing World Cup operations, a deal that could have raised up to $4.2 billion.
- Opposition from three major federations forced the withdrawal, as UEFA, The Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF together represent more than half of FIFA's 211 member associations.
- UEFA's 55 members voted to boycott FIFA events, calling the World Cup not "an investment product," while accusing FIFA of putting the sport's "soul" up for sale.
- British Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticized Infantino on Friday, stating he is "the wrong man to lead the organisation." Infantino faces reelection next year.
- His tenure since February 2016 has brought structural expansions and commercial revenue growth, but also high-profile political alignments and intense friction with European football bodies.
596 Articles
596 Articles
FIFA head ditches private equity plan
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Infantino FIFA Privatization Plan Failure Explained
FIFA President Gianni Infantino had a plan in mind: To “sell” stakes in the 2030 World Cup. In other words, the plan was to privatize football’s biggest event by allowing individual investors to stake a claim on the tournament.But what exactly does all of this mean?To get the full picture, it’s worth noting that FIFA, football’s international governing body, is a non-profit organization. As such, the $15 billion revenue generated by the FIFA Wor…
FIFA abandons World Cup private equity plan after global backlash
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Infantino's FIFA future in jeopardy after World Cup stake sale gamble backfires
FIFA President Gianni Infantino's ambitious plan to sell a 20% stake in a commercial entity managing the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors has been abandoned following widespread opposition, including a boycott threat from UEFA.
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