BALD AMBITION: Momentum builds against Fifa’s Infantino after his FFE own goal
The soccer boss’ Fifa Forward Enterprise died just a few days after it became public knowledge. But the controversial sell-off proposal may still sink his future as the president of Fifa.
Gianni Infantino, the 56-year-old former Uefa secretary-general, serves as the president of Fifa, a position he has held since 2016. Despite his ambitious and innovative approach to soccer administration, his detractors label him as greedy. Recently, momentum has built against Infantino following his controversial plan to sell off a 20% stake in Fifa's Forward Enterprise (FFE) through external investors. However, the plan was swiftly abandoned due to intense Uefa-led criticism.
Critics argue that Infantino's proposal was a failure of judgement and a profound breach of trust with the institutions Fifa exists to serve. They claim that the pitch for an external stake sale was rushed, lacked meaningful consultation, and was designed to limit scrutiny. Critics also point out that the proposal was inherently flawed, as it involved selling an interest in the Fifa World Cup, which is FIFA's main moneymaker.
Despite losing some support, Infantino remains determined to remain the president of FIFA and seek re-election for a fourth term. Conmebol, the South American confederation, has also expressed its support for Infantino, stating that they do not support any action that disregards or departs from institutional mechanisms.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
