World Cup: Uefa furious at reports Fifa plan to sell stakes in tournament

BBC Published Jul 28, 2026 Reviewed Jul 28, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors

Fifa plans to expand football development funding to more than $10bn (£7.5bn), subject to approval by its member associations.

more than 10000000000 USD · Fifa football development fundingmore than 7500000000 GBP · Fifa football development funding

The Times reported that Fifa's proposed private investment plans could potentially earn Fifa president Gianni Infantino tens of millions of pounds.

more than 10000000 GBP · Potential earnings for Gianni Infantino

European football's governing body Uefa has reacted furiously to proposals from Fifa to seek private investment in its competitions, including the World Cup.

Fifa - the sport's global governing body - said it intends to expand football development funding to more than $10bn (£7.5bn), which it claims is to grow the game - subject to approval by its member associations.

The story was first reported in the Financial Times and the Times, with the latter claiming the plans could potentially earn Fifa president Gianni Infantino tens of millions of pounds.

"This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," Uefa said in a statement in response to those reports.

"None of us are the owners of football. [The World Cup] is not Fifa's to sell."

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