The fallout from FIFA President Gianni Infantino's abandoned proposal to transfer a stake in the World Cup to private investors intensified on Tuesday, as senior officials and powerful regional bodies publicly disowned the plan and moved to contain the political damage.
Infantino, who had sought to raise $4.2 billion by creating a new commercial rights entity, withdrew the proposal late on Friday night after three days of intense internal conflict across world soccer's governing structures. He apologised for the division the plan had caused within the sport, but the retreat has materially weakened his once dominant standing at the helm of FIFA.
Internal reaction and appeals for stability
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom addressed staff in an internal note that two sources described to Reuters as a lament over the "sad and reproachable series of events" that resulted in the project being "permanently abandoned." Grafstrom's message, which did not mention Infantino by name, urged employees to stay focused on serving football and FIFA's 211 member associations and to maintain professionalism amid the turmoil.
"We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept," Grafstrom wrote. "But, as Secretary General, I urge you to remain focused on what has always united us: serving football and serving our 211 Member Associations, hand in hand with all relevant stakeholders and in full compliance with the FIFA Statutes and FIFA Regulations."
He added that individuals and unstable moments pass, but the institution and its mission endure, calling for composure from staff as the organisation navigates the crisis.
Senior technical figures distance themselves
Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development and a technical adviser to the rule-making body IFAB, told officials he had no involvement in the project and had only become aware of it through media coverage. Wenger said the decision to withdraw the proposal was "absolutely necessary and beyond question," and reaffirmed his belief in "an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity."
Political fallout across confederations and national federations
Reports emerging since the withdrawal suggest an organised effort by at least three regional confederations to seek Infantino's removal from office. Several national associations also shifted away from backing his re-election: five European federations, including England's FA, formally withdrew their support, while Denmark's federation said it had never intended to vote for Infantino.
At the same time, a cohort of national federations - Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Sri Lanka - publicly reiterated their support for the Swiss-Italian president, who has led FIFA since 2016 and aims to stay in office until 2031. Infantino has amplified those endorsements on his Instagram account, while FIFA characterised as "pure fiction" a media report that he had sought backing from the U.S. administration to remain in power.
Although the number of associations with public positions is small relative to the 211 federations entitled to vote at the FIFA Congress, the episode appears to have eroded trust among regional confederations that were blindsided by the proposal.
Confederations issue statements and consider legal steps
Two of FIFA's most influential regional bodies, UEFA and CONCACAF, issued strongly worded public pronouncements over the weekend asserting they had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stopped short of withdrawing confidence but declared the apparent lack of consultation over the plan "totally unacceptable" and called for institutional reform at FIFA.
A separate media report said UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC were prepared to try to force Infantino from office by paralysing FIFA and, if necessary, establishing their own competitions. CONCACAF, the AFC and FIFA did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment on that report, while UEFA said it had no comment. UEFA has, however, confirmed it has sent a "document preservation letter" to FIFA seeking all material linked to Infantino's plan and is still considering whether to pursue legal action.
Support from Africa and the calculus ahead
Leading administrators from African football have issued messages of support for Infantino, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has yet to take an institutional position. Infantino's political base has historically been strongest outside Europe, where many less wealthy federations rely on FIFA funding, and it was to those member bodies that the contentious commercial proposal was marketed.
The plan had included promises of an initial dividend of $20 million to $40 million at the start of next year for each national association that backed the scheme - an economic incentive directed at the federations most dependent on FIFA transfers.
Institutional risks and the path to the next election
Infantino now faces an immediate tactical threat: the calling of an Extraordinary Congress, which would be triggered if 43 or more member associations submit a formal written request. Looking further ahead, he has up to seven months to repair relationships with allies and counter any challengers who emerge before the nomination deadline on November 18 for the next FIFA election.
Potential challengers must persuade both the less wealthy federations that benefited from Infantino's outreach and the wealthier associations in the sport's traditional heartlands. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter proposed Lise Klaveness, the president of the Norwegian federation and a vocal critic of the plan to introduce external investors, as a prospective candidate. Blatter praised Klaveness on social media, saying she had consistently taken a clear stand and argued that FIFA is prepared for female leadership.
As FIFA retreats from the proposed commercial scheme, the organisation enters a period of political uncertainty and reputational repair. The mechanics of how the episode will reshape alliances within regional confederations, the appetite for legal challenges and the dynamics of the coming election remain unclear. For now, senior officials urge a return to steady administration and adherence to FIFA's statutes as the governing body assesses the institutional fallout.