FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, has backed the decision to withdraw the proposed private investment plan for FIFA competitions, describing the move as necessary and beyond question.
The proposal, introduced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, sought to establish a commercial subsidiary to manage the organisation’s major competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, while allowing external investors to acquire minority stakes.
As part of the plan, FIFA had offered each of its 211 member associations 40 million dollars in funding in exchange for supporting the proposal.
However, the initiative was withdrawn following widespread opposition from football stakeholders, including UEFA, whose 55 member associations threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead.
In a statement, Wenger stressed the importance of transparency and integrity in the governance of world football.
The former Arsenal manager also clarified that he played no role in developing the proposal and only became aware of it through media reports.







