Gianni Infantino has told FIFA member associations they will receive £30million if they agree to his plan to sell off the World Cup.
The FIFA chief’s hopes to allow private investment to purchase chunks of the World Cup through a sister company, FIFA Forward Enterprise, were revealed on Tuesday.
And now The Times report that the official has told the 211 associations that make up FIFA that they will have 53 days to sign up to the plan to receive their considerable sums.
A leaked letter has laid bare the financial incentives for member associations should private investment be allowed to purchase stakes in football‘s biggest competition.
As part of the communication, Infantino told members a funding package of $10billlion (£7.5m) will be made available should members sign up to his plans, compared to a package of $2.7b (£2b) if they do not.
The letter read: “The decision on whether or not to proceed with this proposal belongs entirely to you.
“Should you wish to proceed this $10b package will become available as of January 1, 2027, ushering in the next phase of our journey together.
“Should you wish to retain the status quo and reject this proposal we still have our planned expansion of the Forward programme [development money] of $2.7b as previously presented.
“In total for the upcoming cycle starting as of January 1, 2027 each member association will have the possibility of access up to $40m per member association under this proposal.”
The proposals revealed on Tuesday would see a new sister company created to oversee the World Cup, in which shares could be purchased by private investment.
Infantino himself stands to earn considerable sums in bonuses should the proposal come to pass.
And he could even take up the role as “commissioner” of the new body following the end of his FIFA term in 2031 – a role which could see him net tens of millions more.
A number of organising bodies have come out against the plans, with the FA releasing a statement calling the lack of transparency “deeply concerning.”
The statement read: “We were completely unaware of this proposal and no substantive details, including what the proposition actually is, and what conditions are attached.
“Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved.
“When the proposal is shared in the full and transparent way now promised by FIFA, we will make our views clear, and comment further.”
Those sentiments were echoed by UEFA, the governing body for international football in Europe, who released a statement slamming FIFA for trying to trade the soul of the sport.
The release read: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously.
“So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
In a new statement on Wednesday, UEFA said: “FIFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends.”
They added there is “significant and growing opposition to FIFA’s scheme.”
Sky Sports reported that European nations are weighing up a BOYCOTT of the World Cup should the proposal go through.
Concacaf, who manage international football in North and Central America, shared their “deep concern” over the lack of transparency involved in the plans, and the apparent lack of oversight involved in their creation.
The body wrote: “Concacaf was only made aware of this matter through media reports and, subsequently, via a media release. We are deeply concerned by the lack of due process.
“We share the disappointment of many within our region and the game that this level of detail has been designed and shared publicly before any discussion with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders has taken place.
“As leaders within football, we are the custodians of the game. Collectively, FIFA, the confederations and every member association have a responsibility to always act in the best interests of the sport.
“Every decision we make must be guided by good governance, robust processes and long-term stewardship.
“This is the framework within which Concacaf operates. We trust that all within the FIFA family will act in the same manner.”
Fans and former players were equally frustrated with the revelations, though not necessarily suprised.
Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who has been extremely vocal in his protests against money grabs such as the attempted breakaway European Super League in 2021, was fuming with the plans.
He told Sky Sports: “I think it’s typical of many actions we’ve seen from large organisations in the past five or ten years, its not surprising anymore. some of the things we saw in the world cup…
“You try and paint a picture always that’s positive about football because there’s so much to love and there are great games.
“But then you see some of the things that happen from a governance perspective and from a leadership perspective and it falls well short of the standards that football fans would expect and anybody would want from the game.”
