Overview
- FIFA announced it has stopped the proposal to create a partly investor-owned subsidiary to run the World Cup and related commercial activities.
- President Gianni Infantino said the plan had caused division and would not deliver its promised benefits, and that FIFA would not proceed.
- The proposal would have sold a portion of the subsidiary's shares to outside investors, a feature critics said risked turning sporting decisions toward pure commercial priorities.
- UEFA threatened to pull its 55 member associations from FIFA competitions unless the plan was withdrawn, and AFC and CONCACAF also publicly opposed the move and called for scrutiny.
- The immediate boycott threat has been averted by the withdrawal, but continental bodies are pressing for a formal review of FIFA governance and the council’s role, which could reshape future commercial deals and leadership practices.