Paris (France) (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has pulled the plug on the plan to allow private investment in the World Cup which had sparked a furious global backlash even among his allies.
Issued on: 01/08/2026 - 10:58
4 min Reading time
AFP Sport details the timeline of the dramatic few days which significantly weakened Infantino, who had been basking in the warm afterglow of a highly successful 48-team World Cup spread over three countries:TuesdayThe Times newspaper breaks the story, sparking UEFA to issue a strongly-worded statement "None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell."
Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham slammed the plan saying the World Cup is not anyone's to sell © Annabel Lee-Ellis / POOL/AFP
