FIFA President Gianni Infantino Loses Federation Support After Abandoned Forward Enterprise Plan
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, proposed the FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which would have sold 20 % of the commercial rights to the World Cup and Club World Cup to private investors in order to raise more than $4 billion. The plan faced strong opposition from UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF and a majority of member associations, leading Infantino to withdraw the proposal before a scheduled vote in September.
Following the withdrawal, several national federations publicly withdrew their backing for Infantino’s re‑election as FIFA president in the 2027‑2031 term. The Football Association of Wales was the first to announce its decision, with Serbia and Sweden joining shortly after. UEFA has warned of a possible no‑confidence motion that would require the support of 19 of the 37 council members. In contrast, African federations—including Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—have voiced continued support for Infantino. Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s Global Development Director, also distanced himself from the failed project, stating he had not been involved in its design.
Entities: Aleksander Čeferin · Arsène Wenger · Gianni Infantino · UEFA · Wales Football Association
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Gianni Infantino proposed the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan to sell 20 % of World Cup and Club World Cup commercial rights to private investors. (FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Infantino withdrew the Forward Enterprise plan after opposition from UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF and other confederations. (project withdrawal)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The football federations of Serbia and Sweden also withdrew their support for Infantino’s re‑election. (public withdrawal)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] African federations—including Morocco, Niger, Mauritania, Djibouti and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—publicly expressed support for Infantino. (public statements)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Forward Enterprise plan aimed to raise more than $4 billion. (project financial goal)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] UEFA warned of a possible no‑confidence motion that would require the support of 19 of the 37 FIFA Council members. (UEFA statement)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Football Association of Wales withdrew its support for Gianni Infantino’s re‑election as FIFA president. (public withdrawal)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Arsène Wenger publicly stated he was not involved in the Forward Enterprise project and distanced himself from it. (public statement)