UEFA blasts reported FIFA plan to sell World Cup stakes

A civil war could be brewing at the top of world soccer.

According to The Times, FIFA President Gianni Infantino is exploring a plan to sell minority stakes in the FIFA World Cup to private investors through a newly created company. Infantino would reportedly become a type of commissioner or chief executive of the new entity after leaving office.

The report has prompted a furious response from UEFA.

The European governing body, led by Aleksander Ceferin, said the proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing bodies should never cross.”

UEFA issued an unusually strong statement warning the entire soccer world about the potential consequences.

“UEFA takes this matter extremely seriously. So should every national football association and every stakeholder in the game: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and anyone who cares about the future of this sport.

The soul and governance of football are not assets to be traded, especially when there is zero transparency over who stands to profit financially.

None of us owns football. It is not FIFA’s property to sell..”

The statement was released as an urgent response following The Times' report.

What is Infantino’s plan to sell parts of the World Cup?

According to the newspaper, Infantino is considering selling minority stakes in the World Cup through a newly established company. British media report that preliminary agreements may already have been signed in a deal worth more than €17 billion.

Under the reported structure, FIFA would retain a controlling stake, while private investors would be able to purchase minority shares worth billions of euros. The process is reportedly being overseen by JPMorgan, and The Times claims U.S. President Donald Trump has already been consulted about the proposal.

The report also says Infantino could become the head of the new company after his FIFA presidency ends in 2031.

British media further report that senior FIFA officials have discussed a structure that would include ownership stakes for all 211 member associations, although few details of the proposal have been made public.

According to those reports, the plan could eventually pave the way for another expansion of the World Cup beyond its current 48-team format, and even raise the possibility of the tournament being held more frequently than every four years.

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