{
  "id": 14922170,
  "title": "Infantino apologizes to FIFA Council for World Cup sell-off plan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/infantino-apologizes-to-fifa-council-for-world-cup-sell-off-plan",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-16T09:07:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/infantino-apologizes-for-world-cup-private-stakes-sell/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "FIFA President Gianni Infantino offered apologies to the organization's board following his proposal to sell shares in the World Cup to private investors. Infantino acknowledged that his plan's mishandling of communication and consultation led to several consequences. He clarified that the plan was merely a proposal, not a finalized decision, aimed at boosting FIFA's investment in member associations rather than replacing support from existing resources. The proposal faced swift criticism from football associations worldwide, as well as high-profile individuals such as EU Sports Commissioner Glenn Micallef and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The sell-off proposal also prompted demands for Infantino's resignation, with U.S. President Donald Trump offering his defense. FIFA Council Vice President and Football Association Chair Debbie Hewitt expressed her disappointment over the lack of document sharing, stating that her queries remained unanswered following the meeting. During the meeting, Infantino was also questioned about the decision to lift the red-card ban on U.S. player Folarin Balogun during the recent tournament. FIFA announced that its legal committee would examine the body's disciplinary procedures, with a presentation scheduled for the upcoming FIFA Council meeting in December 2026.",
  "summary": "The football chief said he was sorry \"for the mistakes that we made,\" but reminded that his project was only a proposal and \"in no way a done deal.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Adom Online",
        "title": "Could Wenger really take on Infantino and run for Fifa presidency?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/could-wenger-really-take-on-infantino-and-run-for-fifa-presidency",
        "published": "2026-10-16T04:33:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}