Global opposition to FIFA's private equity plan increases as warnings emerge
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 30, 2026, 12:56 PM
Last updated Jul 30, 2026
Opposition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in World Cup revenue to private investors intensified as the Asian Football Confederation issued warnings about potential repercussions for national competitions. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa's letter cautioned that this initiative threatens the foundations of continental football. Concurrently, UEFA organized an online meeting of its 55 member federations to strategize against Infantino's plans. The proposal aims to establish a $20 billion subsidiary backed by private equity, amidst concerns regarding the impact on various competitions and funding processes. A deadline of September 19 has been set for FIFA members to consider the investment offer.
- •Sheikh Salman warns of risks to continental football from FIFA's proposal.
- •UEFA hosts a meeting to discuss resistance strategies against Infantino's plan.
- •FIFA offers a $20 million investment incentive for member nations.
- •Asian and European federations express concerns over potential conflicts with domestic competitions.
- •Infantino's plan aims to leverage $4.2 billion in private equity funding.
- 12:56 PMYahoo Sports — Opposition to FIFA's World Cup private equity plan grows as Asia warns of risks and Europeans meet
"Global opposition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan for selling a stake in World Cup revenue to private investors grew Thursday with Asia’s soccer leader warning members about threats to their own competitions. “FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football,” the Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said in a letter to member federations. The sheikh’s letter, seen by the Associated Press, circulated as European soccer body UEFA prepared to host an online meeting of its 55 national members on Thursday to shape a strategy for resisting Infantino’s plan.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- Bundesliga•Jul 30, 2026, 1:46 PMDortmund's pre-season tour of Japan bearing lucrative financial fruits
- Ligue 1•Jul 30, 2026, 1:45 PMMarseille move ends Celtic hopes of signing Mitchel Bakker
- LaLiga•Jul 30, 2026, 1:45 PMBarcelona and La Liga club remain far apart in negotiations for 19-year-old defender
- EPL•Jul 30, 2026, 1:35 PMReal Madrid and Fulham finalise agreement on €80m double deal
- EPL•Jul 30, 2026, 1:34 PMDe Zerbi to allow players who aren’t committed to the team to leave
- EPL•Jul 30, 2026, 1:30 PMReal Madrid make first contact with Manchester City over Rodri transfer
