FIFA executive Arsène Wenger on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) distanced himself from Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors and said it was “absolutely necessary” to drop the proposal.
Key Factors
Because several confederations and national football associations said they had not been properly consulted, the project drew fierce opposition. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF were among those to raise concerns about the process, while a number of European associations subsequently withdrew their support for Infantino’s re-election. “The FIFA President has not made any call to the U.S. President, or any members of his administration, in recent days. The backlash has intensified over Infantino’s failed plan to spin off the world football governing body’s commercial assets into a new entity backed by private investors.
It is pure fiction,” FIFA said in a statement to Reuters.
Evidence and Data
The New York Post also reported that Infantino had scheduled private talks with U.S. Reuters reported that five European federations — England (FA), Wales, Serbia, Sweden and Finland — have formally withdrawn earlier letters of support for Infantino’s re-election. The statement by the former Arsenal coach did not name Infantino. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, U.S.
Wenger’s statement on the controversy came after a letter from UEFA’s lawyers to Infantino threatening legal action named the French coaching great among 18 executives whose data and communications should be retained as potential evidence. Infantino withdrew his $20 billion proposal early on Saturday (August 1) after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA warning of a boycott of all FIFA games and events. Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a post on X on Monday (August 3) that there were no plans for Rubio to speak with the 56-year-old FIFA president.
“I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports,” said Wenger, who was hired by Infantino in 2019 and is FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development. Denmark’s federation, which didn’t support him earlier too, said it was never going to back him in any case. The Football Association of Wales, which broke first, cited “recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement”. The English FA, in a statement, called for “a full and robust review of Fifa’s leadership and governance”. Sweden’s federation cited “recurring shortcomings in governance, transparency and management”.
