Gianni Infantino’s $20bn privatization proposal, links to US private capital and a culture of patronage have intensified calls for independent oversight of FIFA from governments and NGOs.
FIFA’s internal checks have weakened: Infantino has served three terms (2016, 2019, 2023) and signals he could run again in 2027, despite statute limits and governance concerns.
The organization’s patronage system — large payments to member associations with little public oversight — dampens dissent and fuels loyalty.
Several confederations have rebuked Infantino, but CAF and some national associations back him, making removal before the next election difficult without outside pressure.
# The proposal that changed the conversation
After the 2026 World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino proposed selling a stake in the World Cup to private investors by injecting $20bn in private capital. The deal he promoted would involve JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, the investment vehicle tied to Joshua Kushner. The proposal was framed as a revenue-generating move for football, but it landed as a political shock: many member associations learned of the plan through media coverage rather than internal consultation.
# Why the proposal mattered beyond money
The privatization plan exposed how FIFA operates. Infantino's pitch included incentives tied to federations' support: those who backed the plan would receive more money, those who opposed it risked receiving less. That structure echoes patronage politics — distribution of funds in exchange for loyalty — and weakens independent decision-making across the governing body.
# Infantino's behavior and concentration of power
Infantino has a record that worries critics of FIFA's governance. He has been elected in 2016 and re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023. FIFA statutes limit presidents to no more than three terms, yet Infantino has indicated he could run again in 2027. He also limits independent scrutiny: he avoids press conferences, has publicly attacked journalists, and funnels information top-down. These patterns have reinforced perceptions that decision-making is increasingly centralized.
# How member federations reacted
Responses were mixed. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF publicly rebuked Infantino, and Europe even threatened boycotts of FIFA competitions. Despite that, Mexico, Qatar and several Asian associations broke ranks to support the president, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously reconfirmed its support. FIFA needs 106 votes to survive re-election, and CAF's backing makes dislodging Infantino an uphill task.
# Why patronage matters here
FIFA distributes millions in development and program funds to national associations. That clientelistic system creates incentives for federations to side with the leadership that can deliver cash. Even though private equity has a track record of stripping social assets, many administrators were prepared to back the privatization because of the immediate financial promise. That response shows how financial dependency can override concern for the game's broader public role.
# What can change FIFA's direction
# The practical stakes
If FIFA becomes more reliant on private capital with limited transparency, players, clubs and fans could face new commercial pressures and reduced public accountability. Conversely, a credible, external governance review — backed by transparent reforms and changes to how funds are allocated — would alter power dynamics by making funding and decision-making more visible and contested.
# Bottom line
The World Cup sell-off episode revealed structural weaknesses in FIFA: concentrated presidential power, a patronage-driven distribution of funds, and uneven federation responses. Those structural issues make internal removal of a sitting president difficult. The debate now centers on external checks — independent reviews and public oversight — as the most realistic route to change FIFA's governance trajectory.
Fifa president continues to lobby for re-election despite no other candidates coming forward to challenge him For Gianni Infantino there is no international break. The Fifa president is widely expected to make an appearance at the United Nations general assembly this week in New York, where he will lobby heads of state
Despite the controversy, Infantino continues to champion the goal of generating more revenue for world football's governing body
One outcome could be a governance compromise under which Gianni Infantino remains in office but gives up some power.
UEFA and CONCACAF want to remove Infantino — either before or at the FIFA presidential election next March — after leading a global backlash in July against his World Cup sell-off plan to investors led by Joshua Kushner.
President writes to council and member nations Infantino says he is ‘fully committed to leading Fifa’ The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has agreed to commission an independent governance review after coming under mounting pressure to do so in the wake of the World Cup sale debacle. The Guardian revealed last month
Brentford kick off action with plenty of Irish interest.
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.