FIFA on Friday abandoned a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors after drawing vociferous opposition from European countries — and from its own ranks.
The swift about-face marks a stunning defeat for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who had championed a plan announced on Tuesday to create a commercial venture to capitalize on its tournaments — including the World Cup and the Club World Cup. The decision came just weeks after the conclusion of its enormously lucrative men's tournament held across North America.
The most controversial part of the plan was a deal to sell a minority stake to private investors including a firm run by Joshua Kushner, the brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
"Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place," Infantino said in a statement.
"Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve," he added. "As a result, this proposal will not proceed."
European nations threatened to boycott the World Cup
Infantino's plan had drawn swift opposition from the minute it was unveiled.
European nations strongly opposed the plan, taking the unprecedented step of saying they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA abandoned it entirely. UEFA, the region's soccer governing body, had said such a deal would amount to the "sale" of football.
CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America as well as the Caribbean, along with the AFC, which represents Asia, had also opposed the plan, although they did not go as far as threatening to boycott the tournament.
It also drew opposition from FIFA's own ranks, in what was another huge blow to Infantino.
A top adviser to the FIFA President, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned from his post earlier in the day, citing his opposition to the plan. And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came out against the plan, releasing a statement to the Associated Press, saying FIFA's staff had been blindsided by it. Lamour also called it the "project of one person," in reference to Infantino — and then added he was willing to be fired over his statement, saying " At least I'll sleep well tonight."
All eyes on FIFA chief Infantino's future
The plan marks a big setback for Infantino, who had just overseen the most lucrative World Cup in history, with FIFA set to raise $15 billion over the past four years, the bulk of it from the men's tournament that took place across North America this year.
But Infantino has also faced a series of controversies, from the backlash over sky-high ticket prices to FIFA's controversial decision to award a "Peace Prize" to President Trump.
FIFA also suspended a red card given to U.S. men's national team Folarin Balogun after Trump and his administration petitioned the organization to re-examine its decision.
Infantino, who's widely believed to be running for a third term when his current one expires next year, had pointed to the billions FIFA had raked in, most of which will be spread out across FIFA's 211 members.
But his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup was seen as a step too far, leaving him facing intense pressure not only from outside, but now also from within FIFA.
In his statement, Infantino said he would work to mend fences.
"Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support," he said.
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