FIFA President Gianni Infantino faced mounting pressure on Tuesday as key allies within world football’s governing body distanced themselves over his abandoned plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Secretary-General Mattias Grafström broke ranks in an internal email to FIFA staff, calling the episode “a sad and reproachable series of events” and emphasizing that “the institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue,” according to reports by AFP and Le Monde . Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, also criticized the proposal, stating that withdrawing it was “absolutely necessary and beyond question” and that he had not been involved in its creation .

The plan, announced last Tuesday, would have created a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to manage events like the World Cup and Club World Cup, with a proposed valuation of $20 billion and potential to raise up to $4.2 billion. It collapsed by Saturday after widespread condemnation, including UEFA’s threat to boycott all FIFA competitions if the plan proceeded .

Opposition has since spread beyond FIFA’s leadership. UEFA and CONCACAF publicly withdrew confidence in Infantino, while national federations including England, Sweden, and Wales revoked or withheld support for his re-election bid. The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) announced it would not back him in next year’s vote . Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, a persistent critic, suggested Norwegian football executive Lise Klaveness as a potential successor .

Infantino’s once-unopposed path to a fourth term in March now appears uncertain. FIFA has denied reports that he sought support from U.S. political figures following the backlash . No formal motion of no confidence has yet been filed, though the political maneuvering within FIFA’s 211-member congress has intensified .

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22 sources12 countries

Geographic Origin18 located

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Articles

Cape Verde coach Bubista resigns as Ivory Coast reappoint Renard Head coach Bubista leaves Cape Verde after reaching the last 32 at the World Cup while Ivory Coast reappoint two-time Afcon winner Herve Renard.

bbc sport · about 2 hours ago

Irelands McFerran out of World Cup through injury Distinguished Ireland goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran is ruled out of the forthcoming Hockey World Cup through injury.

bbc sport · about 2 hours ago

Fifa private money plan had to be scrapped - Wenger Fifas chief of global football development Arsene Wenger says the decision to scrap the plan to have private investment in Fifa competitions was "absolutely necessary".

bbc sport · about 2 hours ago

UEFA rejects FIFA proposal - The Baltic Times TALLINN – UEFA issued a statement on Thursday, unequivocally rejecting FIFAs proposal that would allow private investors to own stake......

baltic times · about 2 hours ago

Infantino verder onder druk: ook secretaris-generaal van FIFA en oud-trainer Arsène Wenger bekritiseren aandelenplan

de morgen · about 2 hours ago

KNVB: bij volgende Fifa-verkiezing gaat stem niet naar Gianni Infantino

parool · about 2 hours ago

Gianni Infantino, de plus en plus acculé, lâché par son numéro deux à la FIFA Dans un mail envoyé, mardi 4 août, aux employés de linstance régissant le football mondial, que « Le Monde » sest procuré, Mattias Grafström se démarque du patron de la fédération. Il regrette une « série dévénements tristes et répréhensibles » en lien avec le projet avorté de création dune société commerciale.

le monde · about 2 hours ago

Fußball: Ex-Coach Wenger geht auf Distanz zu FIFA-Chef Infantino Der frühere Arsenal-Trainer ist bei der FIFA als Direktor für die globale Fußball-Entwicklung tätig. Von dem umstrittenen Investorendeal will er nichts gewusst haben.

tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago

Krise im Weltverband: Blatter schlägt diese Frau als FIFA-Präsidentin vor Joseph Blatter ist zum Dauerkritiker seines Nachfolgers Gianni Infantino geworden. Der frühere FIFA-Boss spricht sich für einen Wechsel an der Spitze des Weltverbands aus.

tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago

Fifa executive criticises Infantinos reproachable stake sale plan Comments from secretary-general Mattias Grafström add to pressure on Fifa president

financial times · about 2 hours ago

FIFA denies Infantino sought Trump backing after failed World Cup selloff FIFA refutes report that its President Gianni Infantino sought Donald Trumps backing after failed World Cup selloff.

aljazeera · about 2 hours ago

⚽ Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said the decision to scrap FIFA president Gianni Infantinos controversial plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup was "absolutely necessary and beyond question". ➡️ u.afp.com/SHiM

bluesky_AFP English · about 2 hours ago

Infantinos problems mount as Wenger and key FIFA ally turn on him Pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino intensified on Tuesday, with opposition emerging from within world footballs governing body as well as from external critics over his since-abandoned proposal to open the World Cup to private investment. 👉 Read more:

telegram_France 24 · about 2 hours ago

Kretinsky share sale hinders Staveleys West Ham bid West Ham co-chair Daniel Kretinsky sells a small stake in the club in a move that could end Amanda Staveleys hopes of investment.

bbc sport · about 2 hours ago

„Durch Medienberichte von dem Projekt erfahren: Fifa-Direktor Wenger geht auf Distanz zu Infantino Arsène Wenger arbeitet als Direktor für die globale Fußball-Entwicklung. Von dem Investorendeal will er nichts gewusst haben. Ex-Verbandschef Blatter fordert sogar Ablösung seines Nachfolgers.

tagesspiegel · about 2 hours ago

Svenske toppen i internt meddelande: Sorgligt Fifas svenske generalsekreterare Mattias Grafström bryter tystnaden efter senaste tidens turer.I ett internt meddelande till anställda, som Sky News tagit del av, skriver Grafström att det är en sorglig och klandervärd händelseutveckling.

svenska dagbladet · about 2 hours ago

Infantino wankelt, maar zijn val is niet vanzelfsprekend Na het intrekken van het zeer omstreden plan van FIFA-baas Gianni Infantino, is de machtsstrijd in het mondiale voetbal geenszins beëindigd. Terwijl al gesproken wordt over mogelijke opvolgers, vecht Infantino door. Hij hoopt op de – cruciale – steun van kleine voetballanden.

nrc · about 2 hours ago

Privatisation de la Coupe du monde : retirer le projet était «absolument nécessaire» pour Arsène Wenger, cadre de la Fifa Le directeur du développement du football mondial fustige les ambitions dInfantino, et affirme ce mardi 4 août quil nétait «pas impliqué» dans cette annonce.

liberation · about 2 hours ago

Fifa-Präsident Infantino verliert weiter Vertraute: Arsène Wenger und Generalsekretär distanzieren sich Nach seinem geplatzten Investment-Coup zerfällt der Machtzirkel von Gianni Infantino innerhalb des Weltverbandes. Ex-Fifa-Chef Sepp Blatter bringt eine Nachfolgerin ins Spiel.

die presse · about 2 hours ago

Top Fifa officials distance themselves from Infantino after failed World Cup sell-off plan Fifas chief of global development, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, said the decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question.

thejournal · about 2 hours ago

Ex-Arsenal boss Wenger was not aware of Infantinos FIFA plan FIFA executive Arsene Wenger backs decision to drop FIFA President Gianni Infantinos World Cup sell-off plan.

aljazeera · about 2 hours ago

Top Africa football leaders back Infantino after FIFA selloff scandal Five influential African football leaders back Gianni Infantino amid World Cup private investment row.

aljazeera · about 2 hours ago

More key FIFA staff break ranks as Infantinos World Cup plan faces mutiny Battle lines being drawn within FIFA as key figures break ranks with President Gianni Infantino over failed selloff.

aljazeera · about 2 hours ago

Investisseurs privés à la Fifa: retirer le projet était "absolument nécessaire" Le retrait du projet de la Fifa de souvrir à des investisseurs privés était "absolument nécessaire", a déclaré mardi Arsène Wenger, actuel directeur du développement du football mondial au sein de linstance. ...

la libre · about 2 hours ago

Omstridt ekspresident i Fifa peker på Klaveness Den tidligere Fifa-presidenten Sepp Blatter (90) peker på Lise Klaveness som den beste kandidaten til å ta over fra kontroversielle Gianni Infantino som Fifas øverste sjef.

nrk · about 2 hours ago

Fransman Renard nieuwe bondscoach van voetballers Ivoorkust ABIDJAN (ANP/AFP) - De voetbalbond van Ivoorkust heeft de Fransman Hervé Renard aangesteld als nieuwe bondscoach. De 57-jarige trainer is de opvolger van Emerse Faé, die na het afgelopen WK vertrok. Renard was tijdens het eindtoernooi twee wedstrijden bondscoach van Tunesië, onder meer tijdens het verloren groepsduel met Nederland.

rtl nieuws · about 2 hours ago

FIFA-directeur Wenger wist niets van WK-plan Infantino: Intrekken noodzakelijk Arsène Wenger, hoofd voetbalzaken bij de FIFA, was niet op de hoogte van het omstreden aandelenplan van voorzitter Gianni Infantino. De oud-trainer noemt het intrekken van het plan "absoluut noodzakelijk" en gaat in een uitgebreide verklaring dieper in op het controversiële project.

nu.nl · about 2 hours ago

Ceferin, Montagliani und Klaveness? FIFA-Boss Infantino kämpft gegen die Nachfolge-Gerüchte Der frühere FIFA-Boss Blatter schlägt die Norwegerin Klaveness als Präsidentin vor. FIFA-Direktor Wenger geht indes auf Distanz zu Infantino

der standard · about 2 hours ago

Gigi Becali îl vrea pe Dan Petrescu la FCSB! Gigi Becali a dezvăluit că Dan Petrescu s-a aflat printre variantele luate în calcul pentru un rol important la FCSB.

adevarul · about 2 hours ago

Fifa needs separation of powers and transparency | Financial Times - United Kingdom

eurotopics.net · about 2 hours ago