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.
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:
– Tuesday –
The 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.”
FIFA, having issued a no comment to The Times, finally breaks cover with details of the plan saying: “It would retain a majority share in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE)” but hoped to raise $4.2 billion later this year by “carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests”.
