World Cup ownership row: UEFA condemns Infantino plan to sell stake to private investors

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been accused of crossing an “ethical line” after reports he is exploring the sale of a share of the World Cup to private investors, prompting a fierce backlash from UEFA.

According to information reported by The Times, Infantino is considering a scheme under which part of football’s showpiece tournament would be transferred to outside investors. The proposal, said to be under discussion in complete secrecy, has reportedly involved figures close to the US administration and former president Donald Trump.

The project is described as potentially worth several tens of millions of euros and would represent an unprecedented financial shift in how the competition is controlled and commercialised.

UEFA issues stinging response

The speed and tone of UEFA’s reaction underlined the depth of alarm within European football’s governing body. In a strongly worded statement, UEFA denounced what it called an unparalleled ethical drift and urged every part of the game to resist the move.

The organisation appealed to national associations, clubs, players and supporters to unite in opposition, arguing that the plan strikes at the foundations of how football is run worldwide.

UEFA said: “cela franchit une ligne que les institutions dirigeantes du football ne devraient jamais franchir. Cette situation menace directement la stabilite et l’equite du football mondial. L’ame et la gouvernance du football ne sont pas des actifs a negocier, surtout avec une transparence nulle quant a qui en tire un profit financier. Aucun de nous n’est proprietaire du football. Ce n’est pas a la FIFA de le vendre.”

By directly questioning FIFA’s right to treat the World Cup as an asset that can be partially sold, UEFA has made clear it views the plan as a fundamental breach of the game’s principles rather than a routine commercial initiative.

Rift between football’s biggest institutions

The intervention marks one of the starkest public confrontations in recent years between FIFA and UEFA, the two most powerful bodies in world football.

UEFA’s stance effectively formalises an open rift over who should ultimately control the sport’s most lucrative tournament and how far commercial interests should be allowed to shape its future.

The dispute comes against a backdrop of mounting concern about escalating financial speculation around elite competitions and the growing influence of private capital in the global game.

Governance under strain

The revelations add a new layer of tension to an already fragile governance landscape, following previous clashes over issues such as competition reform, calendar congestion and revenue distribution.

With the prospect of private investors taking a direct stake in the World Cup now on the table, questions are being raised within the sport about transparency, accountability and the long‐term consequences for competitive balance.

UEFA’s warning that the “stability and fairness of world football” are at risk underscores fears that the World Cup could become increasingly driven by commercial and financial considerations, rather than sporting ones.

As debate intensifies over the extent to which football’s leading institutions can monetise their flagship properties, the global administration of the game appears to be entering a period of turbulence with no immediate resolution in sight.