FIFA President Gianni Infantino faces growing criticism ahead of 2027 congress
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing increasing scrutiny and opposition regarding his leadership and proposed commercialization of football, particularly ahead of the FIFA Congress in March 2027. Concerns have been raised about his approach to the sport, which critics argue prioritizes business over the game's integrity, citing the expanded World Cup format and extended half-times for advertising. Infantino's controversial plan to privatize the World Cup through a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise FFE, by allowing private investors to acquire minority stakes, sparked significant backlash. This project, valued at $20 billion, involved a proposal to member federations offering $40 million if they approved the plan, contrasted with $2.7 million for those who did not. The proposed investors included JP Morgan and Thrive Capital, a company owned by Joshua Kushner, brother-in-law of Donald Trump's son-in-law. This initiative led to strong opposition from major confederations like UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC, who threatened to withdraw from the World Cup. The CONMEBOL also requested clarification while defending the purity of football. The CAF and OFC were the only confederations that did not publicly comment on the project. The controversy also led to the resignation of FIFA's second-in-command, Carlos Condeiro, and public disapproval from other senior officials, including Kevin Lamour and Mattias Grafstrom. Arsène Wenger also expressed his disagreement with the project. Critics
