FIFA president Gianni Infantino could have earned nearly £47 million ($63 million) annually if his controversial plan to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup had gone ahead, according to reports.
The proposal, which was ultimately abandoned after widespread opposition, would reportedly have increased Infantino’s earnings by about £42 million from his current annual salary of approximately £4.5 million, bringing his total compensation to almost £1 million per week.
The plan involved raising £3.1 billion in private investment for FIFA’s Football Future Enterprise (FFE) project. Reports suggested that JP Morgan was serving in an advisory role, while investment firm Thrive Capital, backed by Jared Kushner, was among those expected to acquire a 20 percent stake in the venture. Despite repeatedly insisting that “nobody is selling football,” Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal following strong opposition from football governing bodies and member associations.
UEFA reportedly led the resistance, with its member nations threatening to boycott future FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also criticised the proposal. England’s Football Association backed UEFA’s position, stating: “We fully support UEFA’s position.”
The FA added: “It is time for a full and robust review of FIFA’s leadership and governance to ensure that the global game is run transparently, for the benefit of all 211 member nations and with the long-term stewardship of football at its heart.” Following the backlash, Infantino confirmed that the proposal would not proceed.
“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place.”
He continued: “Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve.” Announcing the withdrawal of the proposal, he said: “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”
Infantino added that he would work to rebuild unity among football stakeholders. He said: “Moving forward, my intent is to bring all interested parties back together in the coming days and weeks in the spirit of shared interest in our game, and with the objective to continue growing football everywhere, particularly in those countries that mostly need our support.”
Despite the controversy and criticism surrounding the failed proposal, reports indicate that Infantino intends to seek another term as FIFA president in the organisation’s 2027 elections.