- Fifa president Gianni Infantino is facing strong opposition over his controversial proposal to privatise the World Cup by selling stakes in a new commercial entity, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).
- Uefa, alongside Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, has officially rejected the FFE plan, with Uefa threatening to boycott Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, if it goes ahead.
- Fifa is also accelerating plans to expand the World Cup from 48 to 64 teams, potentially from the 2030 edition, and has commissioned an independent agency to assess the implications.
- Infantino has reportedly offered member associations $40m to support his privatisation proposal, a move Uefa has criticised as 'governance by intimidation'.
- An investor group led by Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, is poised to take a minority stake in the new venture, with a decisive vote on the FFE proposal scheduled for 19 September.
IN FULL
