The fallout from Gianni Infantino’s failed plan to sell a stake in the World Cup continued to build, turning the abandoned proposal into a broader test of his authority at FIFA. What began as a commercial idea has now become a political problem, with questions growing over how much support the FIFA president still commands inside world football.
Reports on Tuesday said resistance was not limited to a few isolated critics. According to media coverage cited in the latest reaction, opposition was linked to multiple regional groups, suggesting the dispute has spread well beyond a narrow internal disagreement. That has sharpened the sense that clear battle lines are forming around Infantino’s leadership.
The controversy centers on the proposal to sell part of the rights or value tied to the World Cup, FIFA’s most important asset. Even though the idea was dropped, the backlash has kept the issue alive and raised concerns about governance, oversight and the way major decisions are being handled at the top of the organization.
For Infantino, the immediate challenge is no longer just the failed sale itself, but the damage it may have done to confidence in his leadership. With criticism still echoing across the game, the episode appears to have opened a new power struggle inside FIFA rather than closing the matter.
