UEFA makes surprising statement after Gianni Infantino cancels World Cup sell-off plan
UEFA has come out with a statement after Gianni Infantino dropped the controversial plan for FIFA Forward Enterprise.
Infantino had faced a lot of criticism after FIFA said they wanted to invite outside investors to buy small, non-controlling shares in a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise. This company would handle the commercial rights for all future tournaments. FIFA hoped to raise about £3.1 billion by selling these shares, valuing the company at around £15 billion. Infantino even promised a £30 million bonus for those who agreed by September 19.
Unsurprisingly, many football governing bodies, including UEFA, were unhappy with the idea. UEFA released a strong statement accusing FIFA of trying to “enrich themselves” at football’s expense. An emergency meeting was held on July 30 with all 55 European member associations, and they unanimously voted to boycott all FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead.
Infantino’s senior advisor, Carlos Cordeiro, quit his position and spoke out strongly against the plan. FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, also threatened to resign, saying he felt betrayed.
Thankfully, on August 1, FIFA announced they would not move forward with the plan. UEFA welcomed this decision but also made it clear they’ve lost trust in Infantino, calling the proposal a “shabby, back-room deal.”
UEFA’s statement said: “We thank all the fans, leagues, clubs, players, and others who stood against this idea, showing the FIFA President that football is not for sale. We can’t keep having secret plans rushed through by unknown people. We need to find out who’s responsible and hold them accountable.
“In the coming weeks, UEFA will work with its members and other football bodies to understand how this happened and make sure it never happens again. This review will be serious and thorough. Right now, FIFA’s leadership has lost UEFA’s trust and the trust of many others in football.”
While UEFA called out Infantino’s decisions, they themselves have faced criticism before. For example, in September 2021, UEFA stopped disciplinary action against Barcelona, Juventus, and Real Madrid over their roles in the planned European Super League, which fell apart after massive backlash. The UEFA Appeals Body declared the case null and void after a Madrid court ruled against punishing the clubs—and no punishment has been made since.
In short, the football world pushed back hard against FIFA’s plans, and for now, common sense has won.