UEFA welcomes FIFA's turnaround, but blames Infantino for failure

According to Sports.

Context

In the context of criticism of FIFA, Juventus and other clubs may influence the organization's future decisions. Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali has already spoken out about the need for cleanliness in football governance, highlighting the importance of clubs' views on global issues. This could lead to closer cooperation between clubs and UEFA in the fight for transparency and fairness in football.

Why is this important

FIFA's refusal to sell its stake in the World Cup was an important step towards transparency in football. UEFA, which represents the interests of European federations, stresses that such action is necessary to protect the game from commercial interests. It also signals growing dissatisfaction among football associations around the world, including in Italy, where clubs such as Juventus have actively opposed such commercialization.

Key takeaways

• UEFA welcomes FIFA's turnaround, but blames Infantino for failure.
• UEFA slammed FIFA President Gianni Infantino after FIFA abandoned plans to sell its stake in the World Cup, claiming he had failed to deliver on promises of transparency and football development.
• UEFA welcomes FIFA U-turn but says Infantino ‘has failed to deliver’ - Yahoo Sports.

UEFA welcomed FIFA's decision to abandon its plan to sell its share of the World Cup, but the announcement came under fire from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was accused of betraying the promises that brought him to office. In an official statement, UEFA stressed that the scheme to open FIFA competitions to private investors was "unanimously rejected by UEFA national associations", including Italy's FIGC, among 55 countries, and federations of all sizes around the world.

The proposal sparked an unusual uprising in recent days, with European nations threatening to boycott the World Cup, confederations in North America and Asia rejecting it and one of Infantino's senior advisers, Carlos Cordeiro, resigning in protest before the president finally backed down on Friday night. Italian football has become a prominent critic, with Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali saying this week that the "55 federations" were against FIFA's direction, adding that "I like clean things."

UEFA expressed its gratitude to those who it said showed the FIFA president that "football is not for sale", then significantly toughened its tone. “We cannot continue as before, with secret short-term schemes concocted by faceless people and with dubious benefits to the game,” it said in a statement, demanding that those responsible be identified and brought to justice.


The offering could bring in about $4.2 billion from investors led by a group led by Joshua Kushner for a roughly 20% stake in a new business entity valued at $20 billion. For UEFA, the form of this proposal was as critical as its content: “The current management of FIFA has not only lost the confidence of UEFA, but also of many other members of the football family.”

The federation returned to Infantino's 2016 election campaign, when he promised transparency and declared that "FIFA money is your money" for the development of football. On both counts, UEFA expressed its verdict: “On both of these promises, he did not fulfill his obligations.” With reserves exceeding $5 billion, UEFA argued that this money was left idle rather than invested in the game.

UEFA said it would immediately begin proposing a new way of allocating resources through its existing FIFA Forward programme, insisting there is no need to "sell the family silver" to fund grassroots football in FIFA's 211 countries. The result was presented as "a win for the game", while it was warned that "the task of restoring confidence in FIFA is just beginning."

What happens next

The focus now will be on how FIFA will respond to criticism and what steps it will take to restore trust. UEFA is likely to continue to push for transparency and accountability in football governance. It is also possible that other football associations will follow the example of Italian clubs and begin to express their positions more actively on issues of governance and financing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to FIFA's plan to sell its share of the World Cup?

FIFA abandoned its plan to sell its share of the World Cup after severe criticism from UEFA and national associations.

Who confirmed the criticism of FIFA President Gianni Infantino?

UEFA and Juventus chief executive Giovanni Carnevali confirmed Gianni Infantino's criticism.

Why are there problems with the FIFA proposal now?

The problems arose due to the threat of a boycott of the World Cup by European nations and the refusal of confederations in North America and Asia.

What changes took place in FIFA after the criticism?

After criticism, Gianni Infantino backed down from his proposal, and one of his senior advisers resigned.

How did UEFA react to FIFA's actions?

UEFA expressed gratitude to those who showed that 'football is not for sale' and demanded that those responsible be identified and held accountable.

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