3 weeks ago
FIFA confederations accuse Infantino of overreach, seek review
The people in charge of football around the world are having a big argument.
Three big football groups, from Europe, Asia, and North and Central America, wrote a letter to the leader of FIFA, Gianni Infantino.
They are upset because he wanted to sell part of the World Cup to rich investors.
That idea was stopped, but the groups still want someone independent to look into it.
They say Infantino is making big decisions all by himself.
This is not the first time he has been in trouble.
He gave a peace prize to Donald Trump, and another old deal with a Japanese company also fell apart.
The World Cup made a lot of money, about 15 billion dollars.
FIFA is supposed to be a nonprofit group with 211 countries as members.
Many people think the World Cup belongs to everyone in football, not just one person to sell.
Now, the football world is worried about what happens next.
UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF wrote to FIFA president Gianni Infantino accusing him of placing himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority.
The three continental bodies called for an independent review of the now-abandoned proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors.
The letter was widely seen as a polite way of telling Infantino to step down, less than a month after the most profitable World Cup in history generated around $15 billion in total revenue.
The conflict follows other controversies in Infantino's presidency, including the FIFA Peace Prize for Donald Trump, the Balogun affair and the FIFA Forward Enterprise.
In 2018, an Infantino deal with Japan's SoftBank for an expanded Club World Cup and global Nations League fell apart amid immediate backlash.
- Who
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino and the continental governing bodies UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF
- What
- Three FIFA confederations accused Infantino of placing himself above the collective and called for an independent review of the abandoned plan to sell a World Cup stake to private investors
- Where
- Within FIFA's global football governance structure
- When
- Less than a month after the World Cup final, the most profitable in history
- Why
- Concerns over Infantino's unilateral decision-making, transparency, political motives and concentration of power at FIFA
Collective governance and scrutiny
Presidential authority and commercial growth
Selling a World Cup stake to private investors
Collective governance and scrutiny
FIFA should not sell a stake in something not created by FIFA alone, without the consent or scrutiny of its 211 member associations; the World Cup's value stems from decades of investment by players, fans and clubs.
Presidential authority and commercial growth
FIFA, as an enormous financial enterprise, is entitled to pursue commercial deals like offering private investors, including Joshua Kushner, a claim on the World Cup's commercial future.
Infantino's leadership style
Collective governance and scrutiny
His increasingly unilateral decision-making threatens to fracture the footballing world and reflects a concentration of power at FIFA.
Presidential authority and commercial growth
Infantino has supporters, including Donald Trump, who defend him and point to record commercial success such as the roughly $15 billion revenue World Cup.
Key facts
- Confederations raising concerns
- UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF (three of FIFA's six continental bodies)
- World Cup revenue
- Around $15 billion in total revenue, the most profitable World Cup in history
- Disputed plan
- Abandoned proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors
- FIFA legal status
- Operates legally as a non-profit association
- Member associations
- 211 associations constituting FIFA
- Earlier failed deal
- 2018 plan with Japan's SoftBank for an expanded Club World Cup and global Nations League
- Other controversies cited
- FIFA Peace Prize for Donald Trump, the Balogun affair, FIFA Forward Enterprise
Sources
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