Gianni Infantino plotting shameless plan to SELL World Cup as furious Uefa blast ‘it’s not Fifa’s to sell’

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is plotting an outlandish move to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The scheme, which would involve forming a company to control the World Cup and Club World Cup and potentially earn Infantino tens of millions of pounds, has already been blasted by Uefa. Gianni Infantino is plotting to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors Credit: PA Figures close to Donald Trump’s administration are amongst those consulted about the plans, according to reports Credit: Getty European chiefs have launched a furious statement saying the idea “crosses a line”, adding that football is “not Fifa’s to sell”. Potential investors have reportedly been briefed on the plot that would also see each of Fifa’s 211 member associations handed a £15m share of the company that they could choose to sell themselves. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! According to The Times, figures close to Donald Trump’s administration are amongst those consulted about the plans. Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital is expected to lead the proposed investor group and JP Morgan is set to be Fifa’s financial advisor for the project. Kushner, 41, is the younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Fifa would assume the majority ownership of the company, with private investors owning up to 30 per cent initially – costing them billions of pounds. The money-making plot could also see Infantino appointed as an effective “commissioner” of the company once his final presidential term ends. Infantino is set to be re-elected unopposed until 2031. Most read in Sport Joshua Kushner, brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, is set to lead the investor group Credit: Getty BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Reports have suggested that a commissioner role could carry an annual salary worth around £48MILLION. The blueprint would likely drive Fifa – currently a non-profit organisation – to focus more on commercial revenue due to outside pressure from investors. That could see the World Cup expanded from 48 teams to 64 and prioritising host nations based on their commercial potential. There could also be pressure to hold the tournaments more often than every four years to increase revenue. The Times report that Fifa’s 2022-2026 World Cup cycle is expected to have raked in £11.3BILLION in its current format. A Fifa statement read: “Fifa is always on the lookout for innovative projects that can boost the development of football around the world and is always open to reviewing proposals submitted to it. We are starting a consultation process. “As the Fifa President stated on July 18 during a meeting with all Fifa member associations, the priority now is to, ‘unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that Fifa has,’ after Fifa World Cup 2026 success. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin was already at war with Fifa before this latest flare-up Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Fifa could be pressured into expanding the World Cup and hosting more tournaments to drive up revenue Credit: Getty “Fifa makes its decisions democratically, and a proposal that Fifa has received and is currently reviewing will soon be presented to the 211 Member Associations and the Fifa Council, who will be the sole final decision-makers on the matter.” The project has already received major backlash, including the stern statement from Uefa. It read: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. Uefa takes it extremely seriously. “So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.” This battle is the latest in football’s ongoing civil war that could tear the game apart. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin sensationally boycotted the World Cup final in New Jersey following the Folarin Balogun row. Uefa branded the postponement of the ban “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” and warned Fifa it had “crossed a red line”. The controversy intensified after the US president revealed he had spoken to Infantino about Balogun’s case before the decision was made. 5 comments5