FIFA President Gianni Infantino has withdrawn a proposal to open the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup to private investors following widespread opposition from football governing bodies and stakeholders across the world.
In a statement released on Saturday, Infantino said the decision was taken to preserve unity within the global football community, stressing that FIFA’s priority remains the development and growth of the game.
The proposal, unveiled earlier in the week, sought to establish a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to manage major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup and Club World Cup.
FIFA projected the initiative could generate about 4.2 billion dollars, with proceeds expected to boost financial support for its 211 member associations.
Under the plan, each member association would have received a one-time payment of 20 million dollars in 2027, while funding for the 2027–2030 cycle would have increased significantly.
However, the proposal drew strong criticism from several football confederations.
UEFA warned that the World Cup should never become a commercial asset for private investors, insisting that the tournament was “not for sale.”
Other continental bodies, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, also demanded greater consultation and transparency before any major reforms.
The pressure intensified after senior FIFA adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, describing the proposal as detrimental to football and FIFA’s member associations.
Announcing the withdrawal, Infantino acknowledged that the initiative had become divisive despite its intended benefits, saying FIFA would instead focus on rebuilding consensus and working with stakeholders to strengthen football development worldwide.
