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FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing mounting pressure after abandoning a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
Claudius Schafer, head of the European Leagues organisation, said Infantino’s handling of the proposal left his position looking increasingly untenable, arguing that such a major decision had been pursued without the knowledge of FIFA’s key governing bodies.
The plan, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was withdrawn on Friday following widespread opposition from football stakeholders. On Saturday, UEFA and CONCACAF said they had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
Critics said the proposal prioritised commercial profits over the interests of the sport and could have led to an expanded international calendar at the expense of domestic leagues.
The controversy has also fuelled speculation over potential challengers in the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March. Among the names being discussed are Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Victor Montagliani, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, and Aleksander Čeferin.
