A double blow has shaken the foundations of the international football federation. CONCACAF have formally aligned with their European counterparts in rejecting Gianni Infantino's commercial restructuring plan, leaving the FIFA president in open confrontation with the two biggest continents in world football.
Unanimous rejection: 41 votes against Infantino's empire
At an extraordinary session held on Thursday, CONCACAF voted to reject the "FIFA Forward Enterprise" proposal. All 41 member associations said no.
CONCACAF stressed, in its official statement, that "the future of football and its most precious assets must remain in the hands of the football family." The confederation voiced deep concern over the absence of legal procedures, the artificial deadline and the lack of any review or approval by FIFA's administrative bodies. It also questioned why private capital was needed at all after the most profitable World Cup in history.
Infantino's plan rests on a subsidiary company that would run the business of the World Cup, the Club World Cup and other tournaments. The idea is to raise initial capital of up to 4.2 billion dollars at a market value of 20 billion dollars, selling 20 to 30% of its shares to private-sector investors as minority stakes without controlling power.
FIFA justifies its project as CONCACAF demands transparency
FIFA, for its part, denied any intention to sell the World Cup. It insists all the net profits of the new company would be reinvested in developing the game globally, with funding for the 211 member associations rising from 8 million dollars in the 2023-2026 cycle to 20 million dollars in the 2027-2030 cycle.
CONCACAF closed its statement with a clear demand: "more transparency and good governance." The confederation wants clarity on how FIFA's vast reserves are used, and reminded Infantino to follow the proper governance channels laid out in the organisation's statutes.
After UEFA's boycott threat, will Infantino's project collapse?
The timing is brutal. CONCACAF's move landed just hours after UEFA announced their readiness to boycott all FIFA competitions for as long as the proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup remains on the table.
Infantino now finds himself in a genuine predicament. He had bet on the support of the Americas' confederations to face down European anger, only to lose another strategic ally in a battle that could decide who owns the most popular game in the world.