Canadian PM Carney says he lacks confidence in FIFA chief

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, that he has lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s ability to lead world soccer’s governing body. Carney’s criticism, delivered at a news conference in Toronto, centers on Infantino’s handling of a now-abandoned proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a plan the prime minister described as a fatal error in governance.

The controversy stems from a proposal, leaked last week, to create a commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise to run major tournaments like the World Cup. The plan reportedly involved selling a 20% stake, valued at up to $20 billion, with private investment expected to be spearheaded by a fund linked to Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Infantino faced immediate and widespread backlash, with key regional soccer confederations, including UEFA and CONCACAF, vowing to boycott future events. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham also criticized the plan earlier this week, stating Infantino was not the right man to lead football forward.

Carney emphasized that the secretive nature of the proposal, developed...