FIFA president Gianni Infantino put forward a plan to sell stakes in a new commercial subsidiary built around World Cup revenue to investors linked to the Kushner family. NPR headlined it "FIFA has a new plan to raise billions of dollars: Selling stakes in the World Cup". Breitbart headlined it "FIFA's Gianni Infantino Ripped by European Soccer for $20 Billion World Cup Investment Group Plan".
Infantino defended bringing the proposal forward, describing it as part of his obligations to the organization and its members. "It is my duty and responsibility as Fifa president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members,"1, BBC News said.
Officials responded quickly and in pointed terms, warning that the move threatened core principles of the sport's governance. "This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross"1, BBC News said.
UEFA stated that its national teams would not take part in any FIFA competition while the plan remained on the table, and demanded that it be dropped entirely along with binding guarantees against future private ownership of the game's governance or competitions. "No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership,"2, France 24 (English) stated.
Other confederations said they had not been consulted before the plan emerged. Al Jazeera English headlined it "American, Asian confederations blindsided by FIFA’s World Cup plan".
Questions were raised over whether a boycott would actually be carried out and what effect it might have. BBC News headlined it "Uefa and PM criticise Infantino World Cup plan".
Infantino subsequently set a deadline for FIFA to resolve its position on the proposal.
As the standoff continued, reporting pointed to risk to Infantino's own position at the head of FIFA.
Infantino ultimately withdrew the plan, and following an emergency meeting he retained his leadership role.
