Macron intervenes as FIFA abandons controversial World Cup stake sale plan

French President Emmanuel Macron has personally intervened in the crisis surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s failed bid to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, marking a dramatic escalation of opposition that ultimately forced the plan’s withdrawal.

The French leader held a direct telephone conversation with Infantino on Thursday, stressing the need to “preserve the unity of world football, avoid divisions, and strengthen international solidarity,” according to French sports newspaper L’Équipe .

Macron, who has not publicly commented on the crisis, made his opposition clear in what sources described as “a strong mobilization” by the French presidency . The intervention mirrors his previous stance against the European Super League project in 2021, which he opposed on the grounds that it threatened principles of solidarity and sporting merit .

The French President also held separate talks with CAF President Patrice Motsepe, expressing full support for UEFA’s position in the escalating row . A source close to the French government confirmed to L’Équipe that “France fully supports Aleksander Ceferin,” the UEFA President who led the campaign against Infantino’s proposal .

Plan Abandoned Amid Global Backlash

Infantino confirmed on Friday that the proposal to create a $20 billion commercial subsidiary—with up to 20% sold to private investors—had been scrapped .

“Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place,” Infantino said in a statement .

The proposal, which FIFA announced on July 28, had triggered a civil war within world football . UEFA’s 55 member nations voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA competitions—including the World Cup—if the plan proceeded . The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF swiftly joined the opposition .

Concerns Over Trump Ties

The plan drew additional scrutiny due to its association with Thrive Capital, the investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner—brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner . Infantino’s close relationship with Trump, including awarding the U.S. President FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize, had already raised eyebrows among football officials .

The controversy deepened when Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest, calling the proposal “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future” . FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour alleged staff had been “deceived” by Infantino, describing it as “the project of one person” .

Political Pressure Mounts

Macron’s intervention follows calls from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who described Infantino as the “wrong man” to lead FIFA . The French President’s involvement signals that European leaders view the attempted privatization as a threat to football’s governance structure rather than merely a commercial dispute .

Despite the humiliating climbdown, Infantino is expected to seek re-election for a fourth term at FIFA’s Congress in Morocco next March . However, his authority has been severely damaged, with rival candidates now likely to emerge .

“The immediate crisis has passed,” BBC Sport analysis noted, but “over the short to medium term, it will be fascinating to see whether Infantino can restore his reputation” .