Updated on: August 1, 2026 / 9:17 AM EDT
/ AP
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Successfully stopping Gianni Infantino's FIFA plan to sell World Cup profits to private investors was the first half of a high-stakes game in global soccer politics.The second half kicked off Saturday with what seemed a clear aim of ending Infantino's decade-long presidency."No option should be off the table," said European soccer body UEFA, whose president Aleksander Čeferin has led the fight against Infantino in a seismic week for FIFA."The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family."Infantino had proposed creating a $20 billion company to run the World Cup with private investors but drew backlash that grew every day since Tuesday's announcement.Infantino was forced to scrap the plan early Saturday after his senior adviser, who sat on a White House panel, resigned and Asia's soccer body joined Europe and North America in opposing it.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026.
