FIFA has abandoned a proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors after widespread opposition, including a threat by European football's governing body to boycott all FIFA competitions.
The plan, promoted by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, collapsed after UEFA's 55 member nations agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA tournaments if it was not shelved. The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF also opposed the plan.
In a statement, Infantino confirmed the proposal would not proceed, saying it had created divisions that were no longer in the interest of the objective. UEFA had criticized FIFA's leadership for failing to deliver on promises made when Infantino was elected and described the deal as 'shabby' and 'backroom'.
The backlash also led to the resignation of Carlos Cordeiro, one of Infantino's senior advisers, on Friday. FIFA's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, had accused Infantino of a 'serious lack of respect' for trying to push the plan through with minimal consultation.