Gianni Infantino is facing growing criticism after shelving a disputed World Cup investment proposal, with several leading football bodies now openly questioning his leadership.
Earlier this week, it emerged that the FIFA president had dropped plans to sell a 20 percent share of the World Cup’s commercial business to private equity investors. While UEFA welcomed the decision to abandon the idea, its response made clear that the issue had deepened concerns about how FIFA is being run. The Football Association and the Football Association of Wales both backed UEFA’s position.
The proposal, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), would have created a commercial rights and event operations company valued at approximately $20 billion. Private investors, led by Thrive Capital, the investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner, would have purchased up to a 20 percent stake in the subsidiary, which would manage FIFA’s commercial rights including broadcasting, sponsorships, ticketing and licensing. J.P. Morgan was overseeing the fundraising process. In exchange for approval by September 19, FIFA’s 211 member associations would each receive an immediate $20 million payment, with FIFA Forward funding increasing from $8 million per four-year cycle to approximately $20 million.
“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account,” the lengthy UEFA statement said.
UEFA also said it would be ‘working with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations’ to ensure a similar situation does not arise again.
The opposition to the plan extended beyond UEFA. CONCACAF and the AFC also expressed strong concerns about the lack of due process and the artificially short deadline imposed on the decision. The proposal sparked a rare display of unity among major football confederations against the FIFA leadership.
Later in the statement, UEFA sharpened its criticism of Infantino and FIFA’s direction.
“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” they later added, calling the deal a ‘shabby, back room, opaque deal’.
An FA spokesperson also endorsed UEFA’s concerns.
“We fully support UEFA’s position,”
The FA also called for a “full and robust review of FIFA’s leadership and governance, to ensure that the global game is run transparently”.
Separately, the Welsh FA said Infantino had likewise forfeited its backing ahead of any future re-election bid.
“The Football Association of Wales hereby confirms its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr. Gianni Infantino, for re-election as FIFA President for the 2027–2031 term,” the statement began.
“The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr. Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
FIFA has not yet responded to the statement from the Welsh FA.
When confirming the withdrawal of the proposal, Infantino said in an official statement obtained by Sky News that he had ‘ listened carefully to all the views’ and recognised the tension the plan had caused. The decision marked a significant political defeat for the FIFA president, who acknowledged the proposal’s lack of unity support within the football family.
“Our purpose has always been—and will always be—to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” he said.
Infantino has led FIFA since 2016, when he succeeded Sepp Blatter. Before the World Cup in April, he was reportedly expected to pursue another term covering 2027 to 2031, but the latest backlash has cast considerable uncertainty over those plans.
He could now be challenged by a serious rival in the March 2027 presidential election, and FIFA’s rules also leave open a possible route toward a no-confidence vote. The political defeat has exposed the limits of Infantino’s authority within FIFA and raised questions about whether he can recover the support necessary for re-election.
The election is scheduled to be held in Morocco. Previous reports suggested Infantino had received more than 200 letters backing his re-election effort, though those endorsements are capable of being withdrawn.