FIFA on Friday abandoned a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors after drawing vociferous opposition from European countries — and from its own ranks.The swift about-face marks a stunning defeat for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who had championed a plan announced on Tuesday to create a commercial venture to capitalize on its tournaments — including the World Cup and the Club World Cup.The decision came just weeks after the conclusion of its enormously lucrative men's tournament held across North America.The most controversial part of the plan was a deal to sell a minority stake to private investors including a firm run by Joshua Kushner, the brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner."Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place," Infantino said in a statement."Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve," he added.
"As a result, this proposal will not proceed."Infantino's plan had drawn swift opposition from the minute it was unveiled.European nations strongly opposed the plan, taking the unprecedented step of saying they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA abandoned it entirely.UEFA, the region's soccer governing body, had said such a deal would amount to the "sale" of football.CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America as well as the Caribbean, along with the AFC, which represents Asia, had also opposed the plan, although they did not go as far as threatening to boycott the tournament.It also drew opposition from FIFA's own ranks, in what was another huge blow to Infantino.
A top adviser to the FIFA President, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned from his post earlier in the day, citing his opposition to the plan.And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came ou...