FIFA has withdrawn its proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup and other events to private investors, securing the tournament's future but casting doubt on the position of FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, now faces a loss of confidence from key bodies such as UEFA. This has fueled speculation that challengers may emerge ahead of the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for March 2027.

Before assuming the FIFA presidency, Infantino served as president of the Canada Football Association, where he was instrumental in proposing Canada as a host for the 2026 World Cup. Meanwhile, potential contenders include the 60-year-old president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), a member of Bahrain's royal House of Khalifa, who has held the AFC presidency since 2013 after leading the Bahraini Football Association.

The AFC has emphasized that football governance must be shaped through proper consultation by FIFA. FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Lamour has stated that staff were deceived over Infantino's World Cup investment plan, which was scrapped following significant backlash.

In related football news, after a 14-minute delay in a recent match, Senegal secured a 1-0 victory in extra time following a missed penalty.

Sources