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European football’s governing body, UEFA, has declared that it has lost confidence in FIFA under President Gianni Infantino, despite the world football body withdrawing a controversial proposal to allow private investment in the FIFA World Cup.
The sharp criticism came after Infantino abandoned the widely opposed FIFA Future Enterprise (FFE) plan following strong backlash from continental football confederations.
The proposal, unveiled earlier this week, sought to create a new commercial subsidiary to manage major tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and Club World Cup. FIFA said the venture could have been valued at around $20 billion and raised up to $4.2 billion through the sale of minority stakes to private investors.
According to FIFA, the initiative would have enabled each of its 211 member associations to receive a one-off payment of $20 million in 2027 while increasing development funding for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.
However, UEFA led the opposition, warning it would boycott all FIFA competitions if the proposal went ahead.
Although welcoming FIFA’s decision to withdraw the plan, UEFA accused Infantino of betraying promises of transparency made when he was first elected FIFA president in 2016.
“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” UEFA said in a strongly worded statement.
The European governing body described the investment proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” and criticized what it called “secret schemes on fast-track timescales” developed without proper consultation.
UEFA also said Infantino had failed to honor his commitment that FIFA’s funds belonged to its member associations and should be used solely for the development of football.
North and Central America’s governing body, CONCACAF, echoed the criticism, calling for “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency” and condemning what it described as Infantino’s poor governance and leadership.
Infantino, who is expected to seek re-election for a final term next year, defended FIFA’s intentions but acknowledged the widespread opposition.
“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve,” he said in a statement announcing the withdrawal of the proposal. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
UEFA said it remains committed to working with FIFA and other stakeholders to explore alternative ways of strengthening football development through the existing FIFA Forward Programme rather than involving private investors in the governance of the sport’s flagship competitions.
