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FIFA President Gianni Infantino Faces Crisis After Failed World Cup Privatization Plan

evening · · thread: FIFA Proposes Sale of World Cup Commercial Stakes, Sparking Fierce UEFA Backlash

16 sources across 14 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state

Who reported this

  • Le Monde France · Centre-left · Fonds pour l'independance de la presse
  • France 24 France · Centre · Public · France Medias Monde (French state holding)
  • Sueddeutsche Zeitung Germany · Centre-left · Sudwestdeutsche Medien Holding
  • Frankfurter Allgemeine Germany · Centre-right · FAZIT-Stiftung (foundation)
  • La Nacion Argentina · Centre-right · Saguier family
  • Folha de S.Paulo Brazil · Centre · Grupo Folha (Frias family)
  • La Tercera Chile · Centre-right · Copesa (Saieh family)
  • South China Morning Post Hong Kong · Centre-right · Alibaba Group
  • The Indian Express India · Centre · Indian Express Group (Goenka family)
  • NRC Netherlands · Centre · Mediahuis
  • Aftenposten Norway · Centre-right · Schibsted, Tinius Trust foundation
  • Dawn Pakistan · Centre-left · Pakistan Herald Publications (Haroon family)
  • Al Jazeera Qatar · Centre-left · State-affiliated · Qatari government funded
  • Business Day South Africa · Centre-right · Arena Holdings (Lebashe Investment Group)
  • El Pais Spain · Centre-left · Grupo PRISA
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.

Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.

The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing a severe leadership crisis following the collapse of his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), aimed to raise 4.2 billion dollars by selling approximately 20 percent of the commercial rights to a subsidiary. The proposed anchor investor was Thrive Eternal, a firm launched by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared is the son in law of U.S. President Donald Trump. Infantino withdrew the project on August 1 after intense pressure and threats of a boycott from UEFA, the governing body for European football.

Internal dissent has grown within FIFA. Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom described the events surrounding the FFE project as a sad and reproachable series of events in an internal email to staff. Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, also distanced himself from the plan, stating that its withdrawal was absolutely necessary and that he was not involved in the strategic planning. Additionally, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour reportedly stated that staff had been deceived by the president.

UEFA has declared a loss of confidence in Infantino's leadership and is considering legal action. Several European nations, including Wales, England, Sweden, Finland, and Serbia, have withdrawn their support for Infantino's potential re-election in March. Some reports indicate that UEFA members could call for an Extraordinary Congress to remove Infantino, which requires the written request of one fifth of the 211 member associations.

Conversely, Infantino maintains support from several African football leaders. Officials from Morocco, Egypt, Niger, Mauritania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have backed the president. These leaders cite a need for financial resources, noting that many African federations rely heavily on FIFA funding for infrastructure and competition. Indonesia's football chief also backed the plan, citing the association's gratitude for FIFA's support during previous crises.

Contradictory reports have emerged regarding Infantino's attempts to secure political support. While the New York Post claimed Infantino tried to call President Donald Trump to save his job, FIFA has denied these reports, calling them pure fiction. Meanwhile, Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish league, has publicly called for Infantino's resignation, citing a lack of transparency and poor governance.

How each side framed it

Centre-left
These outlets emphasized the betrayal by internal FIFA allies and the lack of transparency in the secretive deal.
Centre
These outlets highlighted the role of women in the resistance against the plan and the broader implications for football governance.
Centre-right
These outlets focused on the political maneuvering, the specific voting requirements for removal, and the financial motivations of African nations supporting Infantino.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.