Infantino Officially Announces Withdrawal of World Cup Rights Sale

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has officially abandoned the proposal to sell a stake of the commercial rights for the World Cup to private investors, following significant controversy and division it caused within the global football community.

Gianni Infantino's announcement came via FIFA's official website, confirming that the project will not move forward after reviewing all the opinions raised during the past period, despite the support it had from some parties.

FIFA President stated: "After carefully listening to all opinions, it has become clear that the project has caused significant division, and regardless of the level of support it may have, it no longer achieves the purpose for which it was created. As a result, the proposal to sell a portion of the commercial rights of the World Cup to private sector investors will not continue."

The project, according to FIFA, aims to establish a company that will manage the commercial rights of FIFA tournaments, selling a minority stake to private investors to attract new investments worth billions of dollars. The revenues generated will be used to increase financial support for national federations and to develop football worldwide.

However, the proposal has faced widespread objections, particularly from UEFA and several continental and national federations, which have expressed concerns about investors entering one of the most important assets in global football. They believe the project lacks consensus and transparency, and could open the door to commercial interests influencing the future management of FIFA tournaments.