FIFA defends investor plan as UEFA threatens boycott, Infantino adviser quits | OneFootball

FIFA defended its plan to set up a commercial company open to private investors as UEFA intensified its opposition and Gianni Infantino’s principal adviser resigned. According to Le Progres, FIFA moved to justify the project after sharp European criticism.

The project, unveiled on Tuesday, drew heavy criticism on substance and process. On Thursday UEFA’s 55 members, winners of seven of the last 10 World Cup titles, unanimously threatened to boycott future FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, unless the plan is dropped.

FIFA said the planned consultation had been disrupted by inaccurate media reporting, but added it would continue so every member association can judge on verified facts.

UEFA said the plan was devised in secret and argued that decisions on the calendar and formats risk serving shareholders rather than the game. The Oceania confederation and the Asian Football Confederation backed UEFA, while Concacaf rejected the proposal and the AFC urged protection of the World Cup’s unity and universality.

Carlos Cordeiro announced his immediate resignation as Infantino’s principal adviser, saying he had no role in the proposal and opposes it outright, calling it harmful to FIFA’s members, to football and to the game’s long-term future.

FIFA said it is not selling football and would never consider it. It reiterated a commitment to an open, democratic consultation and said it would proceed only with majority backing. Member associations have until 19 September to respond, in Infantino’s letter to the 211 federations, a deadline UEFA called an ultimatum and governance by fear.

Source: Le Progres