Pressure intensified on FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday as opposition emerged from within world football's governing body, alongside growing external criticism, over his now-abandoned proposal to open the door to private investment in the FIFA World Cup.
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Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, whom Infantino appointed as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development in 2019, said in a statement that "the decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond dispute."
His comments came shortly after an extraordinary internal email from FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, seen by AFP, in which he appeared to distance himself from Infantino over the issue.
Grafström, previously regarded as one of Infantino's closest allies, described the turmoil surrounding the proposal as "an unfortunate and regrettable series of events."
"Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate incidents come and go," he wrote. "The institution, its mission, and its responsibility to global football remain."
Immediate Legal Threats
FIFA unveiled the proposal last Tuesday, saying it could generate up to $4.2 billion, based on a $20 billion valuation of a proposed new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have managed tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
However, the project collapsed by Saturday when Infantino was forced into an embarrassing retreat following widespread criticism, as UEFA reportedly threatened the "nuclear option" of boycotting all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
Rather than strengthening his leadership, Infantino has found himself under increasing scrutiny over his management style.
What had appeared to be a clear path toward an uncontested fourth and final term at FIFA's congress in Rabat next March now looks significantly more uncertain.
Although the proposal has been withdrawn, UEFA has instructed its U.S. legal counsel to warn FIFA of possible legal action over what it described as "a flawed and opaque deal negotiated behind closed doors."
In a letter seen by AFP, UEFA attorney Andrew Levander identified Grafström, Wenger, and FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour who also reportedly criticized the proposal as individuals likely to possess relevant information about the FIFA Forward Enterprise project. They were instructed to preserve all related materials.
The letter stated:
"Mr. Infantino, UEFA hereby gives formal notice that it is seriously considering legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints arising from the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan and all related matters."
It also instructed Infantino and FIFA to immediately identify, locate, and preserve all documents and electronically stored information connected to the project, regardless of FIFA's normal document-retention policies.
Growing Opposition
Several UEFA member associations including Wales, Finland, Sweden, and Serbia have withdrawn letters of support they had previously submitted backing Infantino. Reports also suggest that the Football Association of England is preparing to do the same.
Among the few remaining supporters are Morocco, a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as well as Kuwait, Qatar where Infantino owns a home and Lebanon, which granted him honorary citizenship in February.
However, the public criticism from both Wenger and Grafström, who accompanied Infantino throughout the 2026 World Cup, has reinforced the perception that the FIFA president is losing the confidence of even his closest associates.
Another significant setback came on Friday when Infantino's special adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, a figure also close to U.S. President Donald Trump, resigned from his role.
Despite UEFA's demand to preserve all documents related to the proposed venture, Wenger insisted he had only learned about the initiative through media reports.
"I was not involved in this strategic plan," the 76-year-old Frenchman said.
Grafström, meanwhile, sought to reassure FIFA employees, thanking them for their work while acknowledging that the past week had been "extraordinary and challenging."
For Infantino, however, the challenges appear to be intensifying, and the goal he cited when withdrawing the proposal to unite football seems increasingly difficult to achieve while he remains at the helm of FIFA.
