Reading Time: 4 minutes

The backlash was overwhelming. People across the world strongly disapproved of FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell investment stakes in the World Cup.

UEFA opposed the proposal as did CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The AFC wrote: “The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all confederations and the world’s leading football nations.

“Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered.”

Infantino insisted the plan would need a majority to pass, at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations to approve it.

What has been revealed is that there was no meaningful consultation with the federations. Infantino rammed it down their throats, spurred on by the success of World Cup 2026.

Infantino, together with President Trump, wants to fundamentally change the format of the World Cup. There is talk of having 64 teams, implementing four quarters with two hydration breaks, half-time entertainment shows perhaps with Taylor Swift putting in a performance, wider goalposts to facilitate more action and higher-scoring turnouts, Stephen A. Smith providing commentary-let’s get ready to rumble!

They want the World Cup to be something like the Super Bowl, a sport that Americans can readily grasp.

President of the Jamaican Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, opposed the Infantino proposal, saying it lacks transparency and that the Jamaica Football Federation would be getting behind CONCACAF on this one. 

Why was Infantino unable to anticipate the rejection of his plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup? His judgement has been found wanting, time and time again. 

Yesterday the FIFA boss issued a statement which read: “ 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.

“Our purpose has always been – and will always be-to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”

Infantino offered the federations a strong financial incentive if they supported the sell-off plan.

The investment plan was going to be spearheaded by Thrive Capital, led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is President Trump’s son-in -law. The investment plan would see the acquisition group, FIFA Forward Enterprise, holding 20 per cent, which would rake in around US$20 billion. 

Infantino has said that FIFA has to come back to football and that he, together with the FIFA Forward Enterprise, the clubs and associations, can make that happen.

Now with this mess sullying FIFA, calls are growing for Infantino to resign due to his catastrophic error of judgement.

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said FIFA’s staff was deceived by Infantino’s lack of openness on this. He added, “ The staff deserves better than Infantino’s contempt and intimidation.”

The World Cup would have lost credibility if Spain, France, England, Germany, Holland, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Croatia and other European footballing nations withdrew from it citing the competition as a sham, riddled by corruption and self-interest. 

The UK’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham said, “My view is strengthening -this was an outrageous suggestion. The idea that it could even be brought forward, in my view, shows that the FIFA  President is the wrong man to lead the organisation.”