FIFA President Drops World Cup Stake Sale Amid Backlash

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has formally abandoned his controversial plan to sell minority stakes in World Cup profits to private investors after facing a swift and overwhelming global backlash from soccer's continental governing bodies. The proposal, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, was withdrawn on Saturday, August 1, 2026, just days after it became public, marking a significant political defeat for Infantino.

The plan, first reported on Tuesday, July 28, aimed to create a $20 billion commercial subsidiary for FIFA's assets, including the men's and women's World Cups. FIFA would have retained an 80% stake while seeking to raise $4.2 billion from long-term investors. The backlash was immediate. UEFA, the European governing body, issued a statement declaring, "None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell." British Prime Minister Andy Burnham echoed the sentiment on social media, calling the World Cup "the greatest competition in world sport" and not a product to be sold.

By Wednesday, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had joined the criticism, expressing...