July 31, 2026 / 8:07 AM EDT
/ CBS/AP
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The pressure is rising on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ditch a World Cup privatization plan that could draw investments up to $20 billion, but which has drawn widespread condemnation from most of soccer's worldwide governing bodies.The latest rebukes of the plan came on Friday when a senior adviser to Infantino stepped down in protest and the Asian soccer governing body, the Asian Football Confederation, said it had watched the developments over the establishment of the FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, the name for the fund, with "deep concern." "The AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF in expressing serious concerns over FIFA's proposal to introduce private investment into FIFA's flagship competitions and the decision-making process around FFE," the Asian Football Confederation said in a statement.UEFA, the European football group, and CONCACAF, representing North American teams including the United States, had already condemned the idea. CONCACAF, which has long been dominated by Mexico and the U.S., issued a statement on Thursday.In the statement, CONCACAF said members "expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies." It also questioned the need for outside investment "following the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history."
