Lamour’s statement did not mention Infantino by name, but it came on the same day that a third confederation spoke out against the plans, a senior adviser to Infantino resigned, and Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that Infantino was “the wrong man” to lead Fifa. US President Donald Trump, who has developed a close relationship with Infantino since taking office in 2025, said that he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.

Lamour emphasized that his mission, and that of his colleagues, is to serve football, and that a president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them. He acknowledged that he had a duty of loyalty to his employer, but also to certain values and to supporting his colleagues. He stated that if his actions meant he would lose his job, then so be it, as he would at least be able to sleep well at night.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had earlier stated that it “stands in solidarity” with its counterparts in Europe and North, Central America, and the Caribbean. The AFC expressed concerns that Infantino’s plan could not “realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward.” The confederation emphasized that the Fifa World Cup derives its strength from the participation of all confederations and the world’s leading football nations, and that any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered.

Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, resigned shortly after the AFC’s statement, saying that the proposal was “a bad deal for football” and would “mortgage football’s future.” Cordeiro stated that he “unequivocally” opposed the plans and did not accept the proposition that Fifa needed outside investors to “unlock greater value.” He emphasized that Fifa’s responsibility is to protect and strengthen football for future generations, and that football must come first when principles come into conflict.

The AFC’s statement means that Infantino’s plans are unlikely to be approved by Fifa members if put to a vote. Uefa, the body that governs European football, has 55 votes, Concacaf has 35, and Asia has 46. If all member associations back the stance of their governing body, that would mean 136 nations are against Infantino’s plan.

Fifa’s plan involves creating a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including the World Cups, and allowing external investors to buy stakes in it. The organization claims that this would increase pay-outs to member associations, but critics argue that it would undermine the unity and universal character of the competition. The proposal has been met with widespread criticism, with many governing bodies expressing concerns about the lack of consultation and the potential risks to the sport.

The reaction to the proposal has been intense, with Uefa voting to boycott World Cups if the plan proceeds, and Concacaf and AFC expressing their opposition. Fifa has vowed to continue with the plan, but the organization’s claim that the consultation process had been “disrupted by incorrect media reports” has been met with skepticism. The governing bodies in Africa and Oceania have said they will discuss Fifa’s plan in August, while Conmebol has initiated a consultation process with its member associations.

Despite the opposition from many governing bodies, it is possible that some “smaller” nations could still support Infantino’s plan. Many of these nations rely on Fifa funding for basic infrastructure, and any avenue that could lead to more resources could be seen as beneficial. However, the opposition from major governing bodies such as Uefa and the AFC makes it unlikely that the plan will be approved.

In Uganda, for example, numerous infrastructure projects have been funded by Fifa using resources generated from the organization, particularly from World Cup ticket sales and sponsorships. Additionally, Fifa has funded various grassroots programs, including football schools. From a personal standpoint, any opportunity that brings in more resources is beneficial, as these resources can be distributed to federations, especially on the African continent, which can foster growth.

Byamukama recognized Uefa’s right to express its opinions but pointed out that its members are not as reliant on Fifa funding as many associations worldwide, where Infantino remains popular. During the first two cycles of the Fifa Forward development program, which ran until 2022, $2.8 billion was made available for investment across the 211 member associations.

The updated Fifa Forward 3.0 program, covering the years 2023 to 2026, has resulted in a 30% increase in funding. Furthermore, Fifa has allocated an additional $5 million to each member association, with a further $60 million provided to each confederation for their individual projects. Following the expansion of the men’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for the 2026 edition, Fifa is currently seeking an independent agency to assess the feasibility of expanding the tournament to 64 teams for the 2030 edition.

According to documents obtained by BBC Sport, Fifa is expected to receive proposals from agencies by August 7, with a decision scheduled for August 14. The selected agency is then expected to deliver its analysis by September 11.

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After discovering that Fifa had sent a letter to all 211 member associations, giving them until 19 September to decide whether to accept the deal and receive the initial $20m payout, Uefa released a statement. “We have learned of Fifa’s deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn,” Uefa said. “This says everything you need to know about this plan.” This statement marked Uefa’s second comment on the issue, following an initial statement that claimed Fifa had “crossed a line”.

The specifics of what will be discussed during the virtual meeting are not yet clear. Many associations, including the Football Association, are outraged that they only learned about the proposal to sell a 20% stake in Fifa competitions to private finance through the media. The proposal is led by the Thrive Eternal investment vehicle, which is owned by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.

FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt, who is also a Fifa vice-president, was not given advance warning of the proposal. Uefa’s concerns have been echoed by the Asian, South American, and North and Central American Confederations. Former FA and Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has suggested that England should “withdraw” from the World Cup if Infantino’s proposals are implemented.

Uefa is aware that the nuclear option of its members pulling out of the tournament would severely damage the financial viability of the concept. However, this option is considered to be at the outer edge of what is possible, particularly since one Uefa member has expressed broad agreement with Infantino’s proposals. Czech Republic FA president David Trunda stated, “We can see the pragmatic benefits for Czech football.”

In an attempt to address the widespread condemnation of the proposals, Fifa released an eight-page document on Wednesday evening, outlining the reasons behind them. According to Fifa, the organization believes that “too little of football’s growing commercial value has reached the parts of the game that need it most”. Infantino has argued that the proposals would provide funding for “better pitches, stronger national teams, more pathways for young players, and greater support for women’s football”.

In a video released by Fifa, Infantino defended the plans, describing them as “an offer, not an obligation”. He emphasized that the proposals are part of a democratic process and an opportunity, but not an obligation, to “turbocharge the development of the game globally”. Fifa has pointed to the qualification of Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan for the World Cup for the first time as an example of the positive benefits of its work, although this was partly due to the expansion of the competition to 48 teams.

Fifa has also cited examples of other sporting organizations, such as Formula 1, La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Bundesliga, that use “dedicated commercial operations”. The organization has assured that private investors would “absolutely not” have any influence over the World Cup.

The reaction to the proposals has been largely negative, with the European Leagues organization describing them as “a reckless and divisive development for world football”. Global players’ union Fifpro has called on Fifa to “reconsider its proposal without further delay”, stating that the move would “fundamentally and irreversibly reshape the incentives underpinning the competitions”. La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused Infantino of trying to buy votes before the next Fifa congress in March, saying that “development cannot be used to buy votes or silences”.

Hans-Joachim Watzke, vice-president of the German Football Association and president of Borussia Dortmund, has described Fifa’s plans as an “absolute attack on football”. He emphasized that if European football stands united against these plans, it would carry significant weight.

SOURCE: BBC.

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