European Football · Saturday, August 1, 2026
Infantino abandons his World Cup privatization project
FIFA gives up opening the 2026 tournament to private investors under international pressure.
By Editorial team

Gianni Infantino backed down from his ambitious commercialization project for the 2026 World Cup. Global outrage and UEFA boycott threats forced FIFA to abandon the creation of a private company intended to monetize the tournament. This decision ends months of debate over the competition's governance. European federations and other confederations maintained constant pressure against this initiative.