What has Infantino done now? How and why FIFA’s plan must be stopped…

Gianni Infantino’s latest plan has prompted a backlash as he seeks to sell off a minority stake in the World Cup to private investors.

Perhaps you will have seen the headlines since Tuesday when the FIFA president’s plot slipped out without fully comprehending the cynicism and greed behind it.

Here’s how Infantino is boiling so much piss and why the FIFA egg must be stopped…

What’s Infantino done now?

Somehow, he’s found a way to portray himself as an even bigger pr*ck than he already was…

Infantino and FIFA have announced their intention to create a $20billion (£15billion) subsidiary to run the World Cup, Club World Cup and its other events, and will offer stakes of up to 20 per cent in it to external investors.

Under the plan, FIFA would establish FIFA Forward Enterprise to oversee “commercial and event operations”, bringing together the sale of FIFA’s commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing, with the operational delivery of its events and tournaments.

FIFA would retain control of the enterprise but offer minority stakes in it to private investors to raise up to $4.2billion (£3.1billion).

FIFA says it would retain sole control of the subsidiary as well as “exclusive authority” over football governance, competitions, the match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions.

A FIFA spokesperson said the proposal will soon be presented to the 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, which would be the sole final decision-makers on the matter.

FIFA said money from the capital raise would be used to establish an optional program that would allow member associations to access up to $20million (£15million – an amount that was almost doubled 24 hours later) in one-off capital to be used for infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football and the women’s game.

That would rise to $24million (£18million) – triple the current amount – by the 2035-2038 cycle.

“Outside investors will have only a minority stake in FFE and will not play any operational role,” FIFA said. “Equally, they are investing in a subsidiary of FIFA, and not in FIFA itself. For FIFA, nothing changes.”

Like f*** it doesn’t.

What’s Infantino said about it all?

Brace for the bullsh*t…

This is bad, isn’t it?

F*** yes. Even accounting for the assumption that any Infantino idea is inherently bad, this is a doozy. It has been described as a “nuclear bomb” and “potentially much worse than the European Super League”. And the ESL was a disaster.

You can’t just sell the World Cup. It may be a FIFA competition, but it should never be viewed as an asset to trade, especially to private investors, hedge funds or sovereign wealth funds, with no transparency over how much influence their riches buys them.

This is shaping up to be a battle for the soul of football – another one – while billionaires seek to grab even more money and power to the detriment of fans and anyone else with the game at heart.

If you thought ticket prices at the 2026 World Cup were bad, just you wait…

Who is behind it?

All the worst people that you would expect…

A vehicle founded by venture capitalist Joshua Kushner is expected to lead the proposed investor group, FIFA said.

That name sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Joshua Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US president Donald Trump.

Oh boy.

This is set to be Infantino’s reward for spending more time than anyone should have to with his tongue up Trump’s orange arse.

The Times says Infantino will head up FIFA Forward Enterprise, perhaps acting as commissioner, which would net the FIFA president a ten-fold salary increase.

What’s been the reaction?

Reassuringly fierce.

UEFA said the proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.”

Their statement in full:

Prime Minister Andy Burnham weighed in on Tuesday night.

The FA, like everyone else, were blindsided by FIFA’s plan.

When we find ourselves agreeing with Sepp Blatter, we know we’re all f***ed.

Who can stop it?

Infantino’s dastardly plan needs the approval of FIFA’s 211 member associations and the FIFA Council.

UEFA’s 55 member associations seem sure to protest, but Infantino is well insulated around the rest of the world.

But to avoid any possibility of being defied, Infantino is already resorting to strong-arm tactics.

In a letter sent to all member nations after word got out on Wednesday, Infantino warned that those who want to board his gravy train must back his plan by September 19, with a £30million incentive to accept, already doubling the sums said to be on offer when the plans slipped out.

For many nations, it may be a sum too big to turn down, especially in the face of pressure from Infantino and his cronies.

Given the sums on offer have already risen, it is a reasonably assumption there will be even more dangled in front of any nation wavering.

What happens next?

UEFA is looking to hold an emergency meeting with its 55 member associations this week to work out a plan of action for the European soccer governing body.

It is reported that European nations are willing to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions if Infantino does not back down.

We can only hope they have the backbone to finally stand up to Infantino and his band of b*stards.