Former FIFA Vice-President Urges Governing Body to Rebuild Trust After World Cup Investment Plan
Former FIFA vice-president Jim Boyce said FIFA must rebuild trust with fans after President Gianni Infantino dropped plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, calling the proposal "ludicrous."
FIFA had planned to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling around 20% of a new company that would manage the World Cup and other FIFA competitions. The proposal faced immediate backlash, with UEFA threatening to boycott FIFA competitions and accusing the governing body of putting football's "soul" up for sale. Boyce argued that FIFA, as a non-profit organization, should not rely on outside investors and said football should be developed without seeking profits for private companies. He added that the proposal had damaged FIFA's reputation and said Infantino now faces the challenge of restoring credibility before next year's FIFA presidential election.
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The pressure on Infantino has increased after UEFA and CONCACAF both said they had lost confidence in his leadership, while senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling the proposal "a bad deal for football." Boyce also criticized ticket prices at the recent World Cup, saying FIFA should focus on ordinary supporters and making the tournament accessible.
He further questioned FIFA's handling of the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case and called for a review of the use of VAR, saying it should only be used to correct clear refereeing mistakes.
