Former FIFA vice‑president Jim Boyce has lambasted Gianni Infantino’s plan to offload a 20 % stake in a new entity that would control the World Cup and other international competitions to private investors, describing the idea as ludicrous and urging the governing body to put fans first.
The abandoned investment scheme
The proposal, which sought to raise as much as $4.2 billion to fund global soccer development, would have turned the stewardship of FIFA’s flagship tournament over to investors whose primary motive is financial return. Critics argued that such a move contradicts FIFA’s non‑profit status and risks compromising the sport’s integrity.
European and North American confederations reacted swiftly, with UEFA issuing a thinly veiled threat to boycott FIFA events and CONCACAF echoing the sentiment, saying the plan had eroded confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
Boyce also decried the exorbitant ticket prices set for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, calling them “absolutely ludicrous,” and condemned FIFA’s handling of VAR decisions, including the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s red card after former U.S. president Donald Trump intervened.
Implications for Infantino’s future
Infantino is slated to face re‑election in March 2025 in Morocco, a contest that could see CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani mount a challenge. Meanwhile, senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro has already resigned, labeling the proposal a “bad deal for football.” The fallout underscores a broader demand for governance that prioritises the game over commercial experiments.
The episode has left FIFA scrambling to restore trust among supporters, member associations and commercial partners, while the debate over how the sport should be financed continues to reverberate across continents.