A fractured FIFA
FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s ambitious plan to monetize the World Cup by selling a stake in its commercial rights has unraveled, leaving the sport’s governing body in disarray.
The proposal, which would have divided roughly $4.2 billion in revenue among member associations, was withdrawn after a backlash that culminated in accusations of blackmail from the Jordanian Football Association’s leader.
Infantino had dangled the prospect of $20 million to $40 million payouts to federations that threw their weight behind the scheme, a tactic that primarily appealed to poorer confederations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
European powerhouses, including the English FA, have formally withdrawn their endorsement, joining a chorus of criticism from UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC, who have warned of legal repercussions and demanded sweeping institutional reforms.
Meanwhile, a handful of nations — Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon and Sri Lanka — continue to back Infantino, underscoring the geographic split that now defines the federation’s internal politics.
With a November 18 deadline looming for the nomination of a successor, challengers are positioning themselves as the vehicle for a forced exit, turning the contest into a high‑stakes battle for the future of FIFA’s leadership.