CONCACAF Rejects Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Private Equity Plan

FIFA head Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a minority stake in a company that will run its main events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup, appears dead in the water. Earlier today (Thursday, July 30), UEFA announced it would boycott all FIFA events if the plans were to go through. Now CONCACAF has announced it also rejects the plans.

The proposal was subject to approval by a majority of the national associations that make up FIFA and FIFA’s 37-member council. UEFA has 55 votes, CONCACAF 41, which might not be a majority, but it’s close enough to probably spell the end of the idea for Infantino. The entire selling point for the FIFA President was an offer of $40 million for each nation if this passed, but that will likely not be enough to sway federations with more power.

CONCACAF’s statement reads, in part, “During the meeting, the membership expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies. In addition, the need for private equity investment to fund new and existing FIFA Forward programs following the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history was questioned.”

The statement also makes clear they reject the proposal and “tasked their FIFA Council Members with instructing the FIFA President to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.”

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FIFA President Infantino is due for reelection next year. UEFA and CONCACAF’s rebuke now throws into question not just the future of this proposal, but his chances of winning another term. Now the question is, what do CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF and OFC do next?