Infantino's FIFA presidency on the brink after failed World Cup sell-off plan

The secret plan

Infantino had intended to unveil the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) on the eve of the World Cup final in New York, a subsidiary that would hold the commercial rights to the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cups. The plan, kept from even the FIFA Council, proposed selling a 20% stake to a group led by Thrive Capital, the investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. FIFA hoped to raise $4.2 billion against a $20 billion valuation. The proposal was revealed in media reports on Tuesday 28 July, triggering immediate condemnation.

The backlash

UEFA, representing 55 European associations, called an emergency meeting and threatened an unprecedented boycott of FIFA competitions. It described the deal as a "shabby, backroom deal" and accused Infantino of a "profound failure of leadership." CONCACAF, the North and Central American confederation, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined the revolt, meaning more than half of FIFA's 211 member associations opposed the plan. The European Leagues body, representing 53 professional leagues, also objected, warning it would add more matches to an already packed calendar.

When I saw how this whole thing unfolded and that FIFA's key bodies weren't involved, then there's essentially only one consequence in any company or association.

Internal revolt

The external backlash was matched by dissent inside FIFA. Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior financial adviser and a former Goldman Sachs banker, resigned, calling the sale "mortgaging football's future without a compelling justification." He questioned the lack of transparency: "Why this deal? Why now? Who benefits?" FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour then accused Infantino of deceiving staff, saying the project was "a one-person project" and that "we deserve better than contempt and intimidation."

Selling a permanent stake in football's most valuable asset to raise $4.2 billion makes little sense. It is mortgaging football's future without a compelling justification.

Infantino retreats

On Friday 31 July, FIFA issued a statement scrapping the plan, saying it had "created divisions of such a nature" that it was no longer in the sport's interest. But the climbdown did not quell the anger. On Saturday, UEFA and CONCACAF both said they had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership, with CONCACAF calling for a "comprehensive reckoning with this presidency." The Guardian reported that FIFA Council members were already gathering signatures to force an extraordinary general meeting, needing 19 of 37 members. The number had reached double digits before the sell-off plan even emerged, driven by anger over Infantino's decision to lift a suspension on United States forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup after phone calls from President Trump.

What comes next

The crisis has opened the door to a leadership challenge. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, a FIFA vice-president, is seriously considering running against Infantino, with nominations due by November for the spring 2027 election. Infantino had previously claimed support from more than 200 of the 211 federations, but the African and South American confederations remain behind him, and Qatar has publicly backed him. The Norwegian FA has filed a complaint to the International Olympic Committee alleging FIFA breached political neutrality in the Balogun case. Claudius Schaefer, head of the European Leagues, told the SonntagsZeitung that Infantino's position now looks "untenable."

This is usually the consequence when someone in a company pushes such a business deal forward without anyone knowing about it.