FIFA president Infantino scraps World Cup sell-off plan after massive backlash

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has scrapped his plan to sell World Cup profits to private equity following huge backlash from all corners of the football fraternity, which included a boycott call from the UEFA nations. 

The decision came after two senior FIFA officials criticised the plan and one resigned. UEFA had threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, due to Infantino's decision. The voices grew louder when Concacaf and the Asian Soccer Federation (AFC) joined the chorus, doubling the troubles for Infantino, who then announced that the



"proposal will not proceed" in a statement late Friday.

"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," Infantino said. "Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed.

The FIFA president had proposed creating a USD 20 billion company to run the World Cup with private investors including the Kushner family.