Infantino Under Pressure After FIFA Scraps Controversial Investment Plan

UEFA says it has lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the collapse of a controversial investment proposal.

On Saturday, Infantino announced that FIFA would no longer move forward with plans to sell stakes in the governing body’s competitions to private investors.

Before the decision, UEFA had threatened to boycott future World Cups if the proposal was approved. Other football governing bodies also opposed the plan.

In a statement released on Saturday, UEFA welcomed FIFA’s decision to withdraw the proposal, describing it as “a victory for the whole game.”

However, UEFA also accused Infantino of failing to keep the promises he made during his campaign to become FIFA president in 2016.

The European football governing body quoted Infantino’s pledge to run FIFA with transparency and to ensure that FIFA’s money would be used to develop football around the world.

According to UEFA, those promises were not fulfilled.

“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” the statement said.

It also criticized what it described as a lack of transparency in the investment proposal.

“The shabby, back-room, opaque deal he hatched and tried to force through was anything but transparent.”

The controversy has increased pressure on Infantino as he prepares to seek a fourth term as FIFA president at the FIFA Congress in March.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who was among the first major political leaders to call for Infantino’s resignation, said FIFA had made “the right decision” by abandoning the proposal.