FIFA’s latest proposal to offload a minority stake in the commercial operations of the World Cup and other top FIFA tournaments, via the creation of a new semi-private subsidiary, has triggered a wave of widespread fury and disbelief across the global football community and political sphere. The plan, which was first made public via correspondence from FIFA president Gianni Infantino to member associations that gave stakeholders until September 19 to approve the deal, has drawn condemnation from every corner of the sport, with critics decrying a lack of transparency, exclusion from decision-making, and fundamental threats to the identity of global football.
Leading the backlash among football governing bodies is UEFA, European football’s top administrative body, which issued a firm rebuke of the proposal this Wednesday. “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” the organization stated. “None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.” UEFA added that FIFA has no right to leverage the sport for private financial gain for its own leadership and connected associates, arguing that growth of the game should instead center on prioritizing the needs of member associations, clubs, leagues, players and fans.
CONCACAF, the governing body for North and Central American and Caribbean football whose member nations the United States, Canada and Mexico co-hosted the 2026 men’s World Cup, also echoed widespread concerns, noting it is “deeply concerned by the lack of due process” surrounding the proposal.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) added that it was completely sidelined from the planning process, expressing disappointment that such a high-stakes proposal entered the public sphere before the confederation had the chance to review and debate the plan through formal governance channels. The European Football Clubs Association, which represents more than 850 top clubs across the continent that form the backbone of participation in FIFA’s international competitions, also confirmed it learned of the plan through public media, the same way most other stakeholders did, with no advance consultation on a proposal of massive significance to the future of the sport.
Top club and federation leaders have also added their voices to the criticism. Hans-Joachim Watzke, vice-president of the German Football Association (DFB) and president of Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund, told German magazine Kicker that much of European football views FIFA’s plan as a direct attack on the sport’s core values, a position he shares. “A line has been crossed here,” Watzke said, noting that European teams accounted for six of the 2026 World Cup’s quarter-finalists and three of its semi-finalists, so unified opposition from European football would carry significant influence. Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl went further, saying he now believes FIFA exists solely to generate profit, with the only goal being to extract money from every possible angle. “I consider myself a child of football — I’ve been involved in the sport for decades — and even I find this disgusting,” Eberl said.
Javier Tebas, president of La Liga, Spain’s top professional football league, called the plan another example of systemic governance failures under Infantino, arguing “Infantino is not the solution to FIFA’s governance. He is the problem. We are venturing deeper into the iceberg and what remains to surface.” The Football Association (FA), England’s governing body, also cited deep concern over the lack of proper process, governance and alignment with core football principles based on the limited information that has been made public. Norwegian FA president Lise Klaveness framed the latest controversy as part of a long-running pattern of eroding procedures under FIFA’s current leadership, noting that her organization has repeatedly raised alarms about “increasingly deficient procedures within FIFA’s leadership, particularly the lack of transparency, the insufficient involvement of the council, and the absence of the necessary distance from heads of state and external stakeholders who are seeking to influence the course of football.” French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo added that national federations have been left in the dark, with no access to specific details required to evaluate a proposal that will shape the future of the global game.
Even Sepp Blatter, Infantino’s disgraced predecessor who stepped down amid a massive corruption scandal more than a decade ago, joined the criticism, pointing to widespread reports that one of the leading potential investors is Thrive Capital, an investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, former US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Blatter claimed the close ties between Infantino and Trump have now taken on a damaging financial dimension, arguing “No one has the right to sell our game.”
The criticism has extended far beyond the football world to political leaders. European Union Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef posted a clear message on social media platform X: “Hands off our game.” Micallef warned that the proposal raises major red flags around governance and conflicts of interest, noting “Particular concern arises when FIFA’s regulatory powers become aligned with the financial interests of private entities. When the value of investments depends on decisions made by FIFA. That raises profound questions about governance, independence and conflicts of interest.”
Andy Burnham, the UK Prime Minister and lifelong supporter of Premier League club Everton who led the long fight for justice for families of Liverpool fans killed in the Hillsborough disaster, also weighed in, saying “Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.” In the United States, Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee also attacked the proposed deal, linking it to previous controversies surrounding Infantino’s ties to Trump. “Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough, now Infantino performs a kickback hat trick by pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors,” the committee members said.