Gianni Infantino has withdrawn his highly controversial plan to 'sell' the World Cup, according to an official FIFA statement. The FIFA president said the proposal no longer had enough backing.
Last week, Infantino announced that FIFA wanted to place the commercial rights to the World Cup in a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise. External investors would then have been able to buy a stake in that company.
FIFA promised its 211 member associations a payment of 40 million dollars if they approved the proposal before 19 September. That sparked an angry backlash, including from UEFA and the KNVB.
Ultimately, all 55 UEFA countries and all 26 countries in CONCACAF decided not to cooperate with the plan, forcing Infantino to abandon it.
"After carefully listening to all positions, it has become clear that the project has sown division that is no longer in the interest of the original objective."
FIFA added: "Our goal has always been to unite and improve. That is why this proposal will not go ahead. My intention is to bring all stakeholders together again in the coming days and weeks, in the spirit of a shared interest in our sport, with the aim of continuing the growth of football all over the world, especially in the countries that need our support most," FIFA concluded.