Gianni Infantino withdraws the proposal after strong opposition from UEFA and other confederations raised the prospect of a boycott of FIFA competitions

FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Saturday abandoned the governing body’s controversial FIFA investment plan to sell stakes in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other competitions to private investors following strong opposition from football stakeholders.

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Infantino announced the decision in a statement posted on his Instagram page, saying consultations with FIFA member associations, the FIFA Council, continental confederations and other stakeholders had shown that the proposal had created divisions within the football community.

The initiative, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, was presented as a way of generating additional resources to strengthen football development, particularly in countries where national associations require greater financial support.

However, opposition from influential football bodies, including the Union of European Football Associations, the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, placed the proposal under intense pressure.

“The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was intended to provide a basis for further strengthening our FIFA Member Associations and our sport worldwide, especially in those countries where support is most needed,” Infantino said.

He added that the proposal had always been subject to consultation, but acknowledged that the response from stakeholders had fundamentally changed the situation.

“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,” he said.

Infantino said FIFA’s central mission was to bring the football community together, rather than deepen disagreements over the commercial future of the sport.

“Our purpose has always been, and will always be, to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” the FIFA president said.

The dramatic reversal followed warnings from UEFA that its member associations could boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if the proposal received approval.

The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also opposed the plan, adding to the growing resistance from major football regions.

The controversy centred on concerns about the potential influence of private investors over FIFA’s commercial assets and the long-term implications for the governance and direction of international football.

FIFA had previously defended the initiative, insisting that “nobody is selling football” and arguing that a new commercial structure would create additional funding opportunities for its 211 member associations.

Former Nigeria Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick was among those who supported the proposal, urging football stakeholders to consider its potential benefits rather than reject it outright.

Pinnick, who serves as deputy chairperson of FIFA’s Men’s National Teams Competitions Committee, argued that Infantino had a record of introducing reforms that had expanded financial support for national football associations.

He suggested that the proposed structure could potentially provide each association with as much as $20 million in additional funding on top of existing allocations under FIFA’s Forward Programme.

Despite that support, resistance from powerful confederations ultimately proved decisive, with the proposal becoming a source of significant division within the global football community.

Infantino said FIFA would now engage its stakeholders in the coming weeks to continue discussions on how best to grow the game and direct resources towards countries and football associations that need greater assistance.

The decision represents a significant retreat from an ambitious commercial proposal that could have reshaped the way FIFA finances and manages some of its most valuable competitions.

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For now, the withdrawal removes the immediate threat of a major confrontation between FIFA and the continental confederations, while leaving the broader question of how to expand investment in football development firmly on the agenda.