FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing the biggest crisis since taking office in 2016. The plan to sell shares in future World Cups is not only a failure but also seriously shakes his position, directly threatening his ambition to be re-elected in 2027.
Just a few days ago, Infantino was still considered almost certain to hold the FIFA president's seat for another term. However, a series of controversial decisions have reversed the situation. His forced cancellation of the plan to privatize part of the World Cup is likened to a team losing the 3-0 lead in just the last minutes of the match.
However, the possibility of Infantino being deposed is not simple. According to FIFA regulations, at least 43 member federations need to propose a vote of no confidence and the opposition must also find a candidate strong enough to compete before the registration deadline on November 18. The FIFA President election congress will take place in Rabat (Maroc) on March 18, 2027.
Before the crisis broke out, Infantino believed he had secured the necessary votes to be re-elected. However, the plan to sell 20% of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) shares for about $20 billion to the group of investors led by Joshua Kushner has faced strong global opposition.
To persuade member federations, FIFA once committed that each federation would immediately receive 20 million USD if the plan was approved, along with additional support of up to 66 million USD before 2037.
However, UEFA, Concacaf and AFC federations simultaneously opposed it, meaning 143 out of 211 member federations did not support the project. Meanwhile, Infantino needed at least 106 votes to pass the proposal, causing the plan to quickly fall into deadlock.
Not only failing in terms of votes, FIFA also faces great pressure from Europe. UEFA announced that all 55 member federations will boycott FIFA's tournaments if the plan is not cancelled. That means a World Cup with the risk of missing superpowers like Spain, England, Germany or France, a scenario enough to make every investor hesitate.
The crisis became even more serious when two senior figures in FIFA publicly opposed Infantino. Carlos Cordeiro, FIFA advisor and former President of the US Football Federation, announced his resignation to protest the plan. Meanwhile, CEO Kevin Lamour criticized the lack of transparency in the project preparation process and said that FIFA staff were "deceived".
This is not the first time Infantino has faced criticism. He once caused controversy when awarding the right to host the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without organizing a full bidding process. Previously, FIFA was also reacted to for bringing Inter Miami to participate in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, a move considered to be aimed at ensuring Lionel Messi's participation.
In addition, he also pursued many other controversial plans such as expanding the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, increasing tensions with UEFA and many member federations.
After the failure of the World Cup privatization project, Infantino is fighting on many fronts at the same time: defending the position of FIFA President, restoring trust from member federations and maintaining power in the world football scene. What was once considered the foundation that helped him consolidate power is now in danger of becoming a turning point that will bring his reign to an end.
