Key facts
- UEFA has hired US lawyer Andrew Levander to challenge FIFA President Gianni Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan.
- The plan aimed to raise $4.2 billion by selling a stake in a new commercial vehicle.
- Arsene Wenger, Mattias Grafstrom, and other FIFA figures have distanced themselves from the project.
- Several European national associations have withdrawn support for Infantino's re-election.
- UEFA and CONCACAF have stated they lost confidence in Infantino's leadership.
- UEFA has sent a 'document preservation letter' to FIFA regarding the plan.
UEFA has enlisted US lawyer Andrew Levander to explore legal action against FIFA President Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup. The proposal, which aimed to raise $4.2 billion from a new commercial rights body, has divided the sport's governing body, leading to influential executives publicly distancing themselves from the project.
Infantino backed away from the plan late Friday, apologizing for how it had divided the game, but his position has been weakened. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom sent an internal message lamenting the "sad and reproachable series of events" that led to the project being "permanently abandoned."
Arsene Wenger, FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development, stated he was not involved in the proposal and only learned about it through media reports, calling its withdrawal "absolutely necessary" for an independent FIFA that serves the game with transparency and integrity.
Several European national associations, including England's FA, have withdrawn their backing for Infantino's re-election, while Denmark's federation said it was never going to vote for him. The federations of Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka have publicly declared their continued support for Infantino, who has run FIFA since 2016 and seeks to stay until 2031.
UEFA and CONCACAF issued strong statements on Saturday saying they had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership. The Asian confederation called for institutional reform at FIFA, declaring the lack of consultation over the plan "totally unacceptable."
UEFA has confirmed it sent a "document preservation letter" to FIFA for all material related to Infantino's plan, though it is still considering legal proceedings. Leading African football administrators have sent messages of support to Infantino.
Infantino's immediate concern is to avoid an Extraordinary Congress, which would be triggered by 43 or more FIFA member associations requesting one. He has seven months to rebuild relationships and shore up his position. His opponents will need to find a candidate before the November 18 deadline for nominations.