English FA withdraws support for FIFA’s Gianni Infantino, reports say
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FIFA president Gianni Infantino (centre) wanted to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise.
PHOTO: AFP
- The English Football Association has withdrawn support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his failed plan to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup to private investors.
- UEFA and other confederations condemned Infantino's scheme, maintaining boycotts of the World Cups and calling the plan "shabby".
- Despite criticism and calls for resignation, Infantino retained backing from senior FIFA directors, while FIFPRO condemned FIFA for "abuse of power".
AI generated
LONDON - The English Football Association has withdrawn its support for under-fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, according to reports on Aug 6.
The BBC and Sky said the FA has sent a letter underlining its refusal to back Infantino, who wanted to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup to private equity investors through his FIFA Forward Enterprise.
The plan sparked a cascade of criticism for Infantino and was rejected by European body UEFA and two other continental confederations, forcing him to scrap the scheme last week.
Amid growing calls for his resignation, the 56-year-old received the backing of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco on Aug 5.
But UEFA turned the heat back up on Infantino on Aug 6 when it said it would maintain its plan to boycott the men’s and women’s World Cups in protest at his “shabby” plot.
UEFA said in a statement that FIFA’s support of Infantino “changed nothing”.
According to British media, the English FA has joined the chorus of disapproval by refusing to support his bid for re-election as FIFA president in 2027.
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who now works for FIFA, and ex-Portugal star Luis Figo are among the leading names from the football world to condemn Infantino’s plan.
As Infantino clings to his role, global players’ union, FIFPRO on Aug 6 condemned FIFA and its president for their “abuse of power”.
FIFA had said during the Aug 5 meeting that “mistakes” were “acknowledged”.
World football’s governing body insisted it was “not the intention” for the FIFA Council and members association to “feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently”. AFP
