Infantino’s World Cup crisis: UEFA has ‘lost confidence’ in FIFA leadership

European football's governing body UEFA has formally stated it no longer has confidence in FIFA's current leadership, even as it acknowledges FIFA President Gianni Infantino's withdrawal of a controversial privatization proposal. The plan in question would have allowed private investors to acquire minority stakes in World Cup events and other FIFA competitions. UEFA had previously threatened to boycott FIFA if the proposal proceeded, positioning itself as the strongest institutional opponent of the initiative. Infantino announced the plan's cancellation late Friday following significant pushback from multiple stakeholders within international football. In a statement released Saturday, UEFA welcomed the reversal but used the opportunity to air broader grievances about FIFA's governance practices. The European body criticized what it characterized as secretive decision-making conducted on accelerated timelines by unidentified individuals, suggesting the process lacked legitimacy and transparency. UEFA further accused Infantino of breaking commitments he made during his 2016 presidential campaign, when he pledged openness and stated that FIFA's financial resources belonged to member associations for football development rather than serving other interests. The organization called for accountability measures to identify those responsible for the failed initiative. Looking forward, UEFA expressed interest in collaborating with other stakeholders to develop alternative resource-distribution mechanisms through FIFA's existing Forward Programme.