FIFA scraps World Cup share sale after backlash, says Infantino
Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, announced on Friday night that the organisation has abandoned its plan to sell a stake in the World Cup. The decision, detailed in a statement released by the governing body of football, marks a reversal of the proposal first unveiled earlier this week.
"Tendo ouvido atentamente todas as opiniões, ficou claro que o projeto criou divisões de uma natureza que, independentemente do nível de apoio, não atendem mais ao interesse do objetivo estabelecido em primeiro lugar", the note read, underscoring the internal split the idea caused.
The plan, revealed last Tuesday, aimed to create a new company to run FIFA's flagship competitions, including the World Cup and the Club World Cup, with the intention of selling minority stakes to raise US$4.2 billion (R$21.5 billion).
Implementation required a vote by the 211 member associations, one from each country, but opposition quickly surfaced. UEFA announced that its 55 representatives would boycott any future competitions organised under the scheme.
CONCACAF also rejected the measure, while the Asian Football Confederation expressed discomfort. The note highlighted that the entidade que comanda o futebol tomou a decisão.
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Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, speaking at a meeting with Donald Trump — Foto: Evan Vucci TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY/REUTERS