FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abandoned plans to introduce private investment into the World Cup and other major competitions after widespread opposition from football bodies across the world.
Infantino announced that the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial subsidiary expected to raise up to $4.2 billion, would no longer proceed.
“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve,” Infantino said in a statement.
“As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
The plan had aimed to create a new funding model for FIFA’s 211 member associations, with each country expected to receive a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027 and increased funding between 2027 and 2030.
However, the proposal faced strong resistance from football stakeholders, who argued that private investors should not control the sport’s biggest competitions.
European football governing body UEFA had threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions if the plan remained active, warning that “the World Cup is not for sale”.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product,” UEFA said. “No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors.”
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which represents 47 member nations, welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw the proposal, saying major initiatives affecting global football must involve wider consultation.
The Mexican Football Federation also backed the move, saying “unity among all the Confederations and Federations has been prioritised for the good of football”.
Pressure increased on Infantino after senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, describing the investment proposal as “a bad deal for FIFA’s member associations, a bad deal for football, and a bad deal for the long-term future of the game”.
South American football body CONMEBOL had also demanded more details about the project’s structure, governance and possible impact.
Infantino said the proposal was dropped because it had caused divisions within football.
“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,” he said.
The FIFA president said he would now focus on rebuilding unity among football stakeholders and continuing efforts to expand the sport globally.
“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,” Infantino added.
