Infantino abandons World Cup stake sale after global backlash

FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced on Thursday that the organization will abandon its proposal to sell a minority stake in the rights to the FIFA World Cup, a move that had sparked widespread criticism from governments, sponsors and football fans worldwide. The decision follows a wave of public outcry that accused the plan of commodifying the sport’s premier tournament and potentially undermining the governing body’s non‑commercial ethos.

The original proposal, unveiled in February, called for a private investment fund to acquire up to a 10 percent share in the commercial exploitation of the World Cup, with the aim of generating additional revenue for FIFA’s development programs. Critics argued that the sale could give undue influence to commercial interests and set a precedent for the privatization of other FIFA assets. After meetings with member associations and a review of the backlash, Infantino confirmed that the sale would not proceed, stating that FIFA will continue to seek alternative financing methods that preserve the integrity of the competition.