Fifa Scraps Plan To Sell Private Stake In The World Cup

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has scrapped a controversial plan to allow private investment in the World Cup, backing down in the face of fierce criticism from football associations around the world.

The governing body only floated the idea on Tuesday, saying it could raise up to $4.2 billion (€3.66 billion) based on a $20 billion (€17.41 billion) valuation of a new commercial subsidiary, Fifa Forward Enterprise, that would have run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup, as The Journal reported. Under the plan, each of Fifa’s 211 member associations would have received a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027.

Announcing the climbdown, Infantino said:

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

What the World Cup plan would have meant for Ireland

The Football Association of Ireland is one of those 211 members, and would have been in line for the one-off windfall as well as an increase in its four-year funding allocation from $8 million to $20 million, as The 42 noted. The beleaguered Infantino said he would now focus on “restoring harmony” while continuing to grow the game.

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Fifa Scraps Plan To Sell Private Stake In The World Cup

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Fifa Scraps Plan To Sell Private Stake In The World Cup

What the World Cup plan would have meant for Ireland

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