UEFA has called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to step down following the collapse of a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup to private investors. Infantino had sought to sell a £3.1 billion stake in the tournament to an investment consortium led by Josh Kushner, a relative of United States President Donald Trump. However, the proposal was withdrawn on Friday after attracting widespread criticism, prompting the FIFA president to reverse course.
Reacting to the development on Saturday, UEFA issued a strongly worded statement, saying it had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership.
“We cannot keep going on like this with secret schemes on fast-track timescales, cooked up by faceless individuals and of dubious benefit to the game. We must identify those responsible and hold them to account,” the statement read in part.
“It is right that, in the coming days and weeks, UEFA will work with its associations and in close cooperation with other confederations to reflect on how this happened and devise a plan to make sure that it cannot occur again.
“That review should be thorough and fundamental. No option should be off the table. The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family.”
The European football governing body indicated that it would collaborate with its member associations and other continental confederations to examine the circumstances surrounding the failed proposal and recommend measures to prevent a similar situation in the future.
The controversy has also intensified pressure on Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president in next year's elections. Under FIFA's statutes, a vote of no confidence can be initiated if at least 46 member associations support the move. UEFA alone comprises 55 member associations, giving it the numerical strength to trigger the process if it secures the required backing.
