Gianni Infantino is never short of ideas. His latest? To create a commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage all of his broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, licensing, and other rights. The goal was to sell some of the shares to private investors to further boost the coffers. The initiative was met with a frosty reception, not only in Europe, but also internationally, and Gianni Infantino was forced to backtrack. This is the story of a week that could prove costly for the FIFA president.
"None of us owns football."
It all happened in five days. The Times First, the project was revealed, on which Infantino was counting to raise $4,2 billion this year alone – and much more in subsequent years. A bigger pie, therefore bigger slices to distribute and millions of euros redistributed to national federations. All net profits will be reinvested in football " says FIFA, trying to whet the appetites of its members: the objective would be to to increase the funding allocated to each FIFA member association from $8 million to $20 million for the 2027-2030 cycle, before a progressive increase in each subsequent cycle ».
She also assures that she will not sell more than 20% of the shares, and only to carefully selected investors. Arguments that haven't been entirely convincing, judging by the reactions. The soul and governance of football are not assets to be speculated upon., immediately slams UEFA, the European governing body. None of us owns football. It's not up to FIFA to sell it.. » The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), « informed by the media "Said to himself" concerned by this process Its Asian counterpart, the AFC, points out that Initiatives of such magnitude and with such significant consequences must be based on the principles of good governance, transparency, and genuine consultation. Even the European Union and British Prime Minister Andy Burnham have raised their voices.
https://x.com/UEFA/status/2082854732020760880
Will Infantino be able to remain in his position?
Infantino attempted to calm the situation on Wednesday in a video, assuring everyone that nothing would be done without consultation. To no avail. UEFA convened an emergency meeting on Thursday, and its 55 member federations decided to boycott FIFA competitions if the project wasn't scrapped. A World Cup without European nations? Unthinkable. A high-level meeting was also held by CONCACAF. Its 41 members firmly rejected the project, expressing " their deep concern regarding the lack of due process concerning this proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or validation by the competent FIFA governing bodies "Following this, the AFC also officially opposed it.
Even FIFA's number 3, Kevin Lamour, and Infantino's chief advisor, Carlos Cordeiro, have publicly abandoned him, denouncing " the project of a single man "And a method far removed from good governance standards. Under pressure, Gianni Infantino buried his plan on Saturday morning." It is clear that this project has created divisions which, regardless of the level of support, no longer serve the initially stated objective. Our objective has always been – and will always be – to unite and move forward. Consequently, this proposal will not proceed. ", reads the statement.
Just a few weeks ago, Gianni Infantino seemed all-powerful and unassailable at the next Congress. The farce of awarding the Peace Prize to Donald Trump, the political and sporting controversies surrounding the World Cup, and the outcry of recent days have undeniably weakened his standing and shattered the confidence of a large part of the football world. Will a serious opponent emerge to challenge him for the presidency in March 2027? For the moment, no credible alternative has appeared, but candidacies can be submitted until November 18th.
