Arsène Wenger breaks silence on Fifa private investors plan | OneFootball

Arsène Wenger, Fifa’s director of global football development, said on Tuesday it was absolutely necessary to drop Gianni Infantino’s plan to bring private investors into the organisation’s competitions.

According to Le Progres, the former Arsenal manager said he believes in an independent Fifa that serves the game with commitment, transparency and integrity. He said he was not involved and only learned of the project through media reports. He is also an IFAB technical adviser and had faced criticism for his silence.

Others inside Fifa opposed Infantino’s proposal to set up an external company to run commercial operations and tournaments such as the World Cups, inviting private investors.

The plan, unveiled last Tuesday after being reported by the media, was withdrawn overnight from Friday to Saturday amid resistance across the game, including from UEFA.

In an email to staff on Tuesday, Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafström lamented a sequence of sad and deplorable events and said it had, fortunately, led to the project’s permanent abandonment.

Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser, resigned on Friday, stating categorical opposition to the plan. Infantino remains the only declared candidate for re-election in March 2027 in Rabat.

Four European federations have withdrawn their backing so far, namely Finland, Wales, Serbia and Sweden.

Source: Le Progres

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