*This content was translated by AI.
A shocking move by the world's most prestigious football organization. Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), ultimately yielded to fierce global backlash and completely withdrew his plan to sell shares.
Infantino stated on the 1st through an official statement: "The FIFA Forward Enterprise Project was aimed at strengthening member nations and global football development, focusing on countries in greatest need." He added, "As we made clear from the start, this initiative required support from a majority of member nations and was contingent upon consultation with the FIFA Council and continental confederations."
He continued: "After listening to all opinions, it has become clear that this project caused divisions far exceeding what was originally intended. The purpose of FIFA is global unity. Therefore, FIFA will not proceed with share sales," officially announcing the withdrawal of the project.
The decision to cancel this initiative was driven decisively by internal leaks and resignations within FIFA's leadership, as well as strong opposition from continental confederations.
Previously, British media outlet 'BBC' reported that FIFA Chief Operating Officer (COO) Kevin Lamour strongly criticized Infantino's plan to sell the organization's shares to private investors.
In a statement released via AP News, Lamour described the project as "not an initiative of the organization but a personal project of one individual," and exposed that even FIFA's leadership had been misled by Infantino.
He further noted: "The mission of hundreds of passionate and dedicated FIFA employees is to serve football. The president should bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. Yet today, we are experiencing the exact opposite."
Lamour also added: "Even if it means losing my job, I have an obligation to uphold certain values and support my colleagues. If I am fired for this, I will accept it."
Pressure for resignation and backlash against Infantino intensified both within the leadership ranks and across the global football community. Carlos Cordeiro, FIFA's senior advisor, unexpectedly announced his resignation. Cordeiro stated: "This proposal is clearly a bad deal that jeopardizes the future of football. The most concerning aspect is that there are no answers to fundamental questions about why this transaction must happen now and for whom."
Opposition from continental confederations was also fierce. Following the European Football Association (UEFA) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined the opposition. In a statement, the AFC declared: "Any proposal that risks undermining the validity and universality of the FIFA World Cup must be re-examined," clearly expressing its opposition to Infantino's plan.
As the situation escalated rapidly, discussions about potential candidates for the next presidency also emerged. 'BBC' reported separately on the same day: "Infantino is now at a dead end," highlighting possible successors should he step down.
The media identified Victor Montagliani, President of CONCACAF, and Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, President of AFC, as leading candidates for the next presidency. President Montagliani is widely praised for his multilingual abilities and exceptional football administration skills, having successfully led the joint hosting of the 2026 North American World Cup. President Sheikh Salman also played a key role in expanding and growing Asian football and voiced strong opposition during Infantino's project implementation process. Other names mentioned include Nasser Al-Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and FIFA Secretary-General Matthias Sammer.
Meanwhile, the controversial project involved FIFA establishing commercial subsidiaries to operate major tournaments such as the World Cup and selling shares to venture capital firms in the United States to secure investment funds. In response, criticism surged from within and outside the football community, accusing Infantino of attempting to sell the historical value of the World Cup for private gain.
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*This content was translated by AI.
