FIFA boss Gianni Infantino has scrapped his World Cup sell-off plan following fierce backlash to the proposals.
The FIFA president, who has vowed to carry on in his position, confirmed that after listening to all views, the project “has created divisions”.
Football’s governing body released a statement saying that the “proposal will not proceed”.
FIFA attempted to convince its 211 member associations to back the creation of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial company that would control the rights to the governing body’s major tournaments.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has scrapped his World Cup sell-off plan
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It planned to sell a 20 per cent share of the business to private investors, with the venture reportedly valued at around $20billion (£14.8bn).
A statement attributed to Infantino recognised the FFE, reading: “The FFE project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed.
“And more so, as we said from the outset, to do this only if a majority of the FIFA Member Associations were in support and always subject to a consultation process with them, the FIFA Council, the Confederations and wider stakeholders.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place.”
The FIFA president vowed to carry on in his role
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The statement continued: “Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.
“Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.”
The footballing world and beyond largely took aim at the proposals, with UEFA saying they will boycott any future FIFA tournament if the plans went ahead after its 55 member nations held a crisis meeting.
The FA released a statement following UEFA’s move, stating: “We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and fully support the collective view.
The FIFA president’s statement said: ‘The project has created divisions’
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“We oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.”
The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, which oversees football in North America, also voiced their opposition.
South America’s CONMEBOL asked for more information, while the Confederation of African Football and the Oceania Football Confederation planned to hold meetings next week.
Despite this wave of opposition, which has seen the resignation of a senior adviser to Infantino, the FIFA president plans to carry on in his role.
Infantino’s statement read: ‘Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together’
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The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has voiced his thoughts on Infantino remaining as FIFA president, saying he is “the wrong man”.
Burnham said: “This was an outrageous suggestion. The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation.”
Donald Trump shared he had not been informed of the proposed deal, explaining to reporters that he did not speak with Infantino.
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016, with the plans significantly damaging his position and creating divisions inside the governing body itself.
