Is the World Cup being sold?

Infantino’s Crazy Plan: A Tenfold Salary Awaits!

Gianni Infantino (center) congratulates Spain’s World Cup hero Dani Olmo. Will the FIFA boss soon be raking it in big time?(Bild: AFP/MANDEL NGAN)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has once again drawn heavy criticism for his plans involving investors. A key position and an annual salary of around 56 (!) million euros are on the line.

Less than two weeks after the World Cup final in the U.S., the world soccer governing body announced its intention to generate billions by potentially selling a portion of its commercial rights, such as those related to the World Cup. Europe has issued a clear veto on the matter. According to media reports, UEFA is planning an emergency meeting this week. A World Cup boycott is also being considered.

Will there now be a boycott of the World Cup?(Bild: AFP/AL BELLO)

This isn’t the first time President Infantino has actively planned an unprecedented sell-off of FIFA rights. In November 2018, the Swiss official promoted an investor deal for the marketing rights to a new 24-team Club World Cup, as well as a global Nations League featuring a final tournament of continental champions. The sum involved was a staggering 25 billion dollars. At the time, Infantino’s plan failed.

Infantino Eyes Key Position
This time, FIFA reported proceeds of just over four billion U.S. dollars (3.52 billion euros). Such a move would also have another effect: After serving another term as president, Infantino could become CEO of the newly founded subsidiary FFE starting in 2031, thereby continuing to wield significant influence within the FIFA universe after 15 years in office. His salary would then be modeled after that of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell earns around $64 million (about 56.3 million euros) annually—meaning Infantino’s salary would increase tenfold.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell(Bild: AP/Scott Kinser)

FIFA did not announce any specific changes for fans. According to a report in the “Times,” such a deal could increase pressure to further expand the field of a World Cup or to hold the World Cup more frequently than before. The rationale behind this is the business model of such investments: Investors are banking on the commercial entity’s revenues increasing. As revenue and company value grow, so does the value of their investment. More games or more tournaments could lead to higher revenues.

UEFA Meeting This Week?
The most powerful opponent is UEFA, which has clearly communicated its opposition. “This crosses a line that the institutions responsible for soccer should never cross,” Europe’s governing body stated. UEFA declined to comment on a report that it was considering a boycott of FIFA competitions on Wednesday morning. The BBC reported that an emergency meeting of the European associations is scheduled to take place later this week.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin(Bild: AFP/FABRICE COFFRINI)

UEFA had already released its statement based on a report in *The Times* and even before FIFA officially announced the plans. As UEFA vice president, German Hans-Joachim Watzke emphasized the great influence of the Europeans. “At the World Cup, six European teams reached the quarterfinals and three made it to the semifinals. If European soccer stands united against these plans, that carries a lot of weight,” Watzke said when asked.

UEFA Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke(Bild: AFP/JOHN MACDOUGALL)

The European governing body, led by President Aleksander Ceferin, also opposed FIFA—led by Infantino—regarding its billion-dollar plans in 2018—and ultimately prevailed. Ceferin was also one of the loudest and most prominent opponents of the European clubs’ Super League plans in 2021. Among other things, he announced that professional players would no longer be able to play in the World Cup or European Championship if they joined the Super League.

Money for Small Federations
This time, the opposition will be more complicated, as Infantino’s FIFA intends to shower the soccer world—and especially the smaller federations—with additional funding. Aside from the opposition from Europe, the idea is likely to find support, especially among smaller member nations, because it will simply lead to a significant increase in revenue. “This is about the democratization of soccer worldwide,” said Infantino.

“We intend to invest heavily even in the smallest or most remote parts of the soccer world, which are too often overlooked,” the Swiss official added. According to FIFA, annual revenue for member associations could more than triple—to an average of more than seven million U.S. dollars per year by 2038. This is a huge opportunity, especially for small associations .

In addition to UEFA, CONCACAF—which represents the nations of North and Central America and the Caribbean—also expressed disappointment. The continental confederation criticized the process. “We are deeply concerned about the lack of due process,” it said in a statement reported by Sky News. They only found out about it through the media.