UEFA's confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been lost after his plan to sell stakes of the World Cup to private equity investors was abandoned.
The proposal, worth $20 billion, drew significant backlash from the football community, with Europe and North America joining Asia in opposing it. The plan was scrapped just a day after it was announced, after Infantino's senior adviser resigned from their position on a White House panel.
UEFA's criticism of Infantino is severe, with the organization stating that "no option should be off the table" as it pursues a full review of the abandoned plan. The review aims to identify those responsible and hold them to account.
Infantino's leadership has come under fire from many in the football family, with UEFA's statement suggesting that the current FIFA leadership has lost the confidence of its members. The move is a significant blow to Infantino, who has been at the helm of FIFA since 2016.
The backlash against Infantino's plan was swift and intense, with critics arguing that it would compromise the integrity of the World Cup. The proposal's rejection is a major victory for those who opposed it, and raises questions about the future of Infantino's leadership at FIFA.
The World Cup is one of the most prestigious tournaments in international football, and any changes to its ownership structure would have significant implications for the sport. Infantino's plan was seen as a major departure from the traditional model of the World Cup, and its rejection is a major setback for those who wanted to see the tournament become more commercialized.
The full extent of the fallout from Infantino's plan is still unclear, but one thing is certain: the future of the World Cup, and the leadership of FIFA, will be closely watched in the coming weeks and months.
Infantino's leadership is now under intense scrutiny, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to recover from this major setback. The review by UEFA will be closely watched, and could have significant implications for Infantino's future at the helm of FIFA.
Source: Yahoo Sports