Arsene Wenger's verdict on Gianni Infantino's FIFA World Cup plan as presidency hangs in the balance - "Absolutely necessary"

Arsene Wenger has had his say on Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup, as the proposal continues to draw fierce criticism from across the footballing world.

The FIFA president's proposal centred on FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial vehicle that would have bundled together the World Cup's broadcasting, sponsorship and ticketing rights.

Reports first emerged in late July that Infantino was seeking to sell around a fifth of the venture to private investors, with the move designed to inject fresh funds into world football's governing body.

The proposal was met with widespread condemnation, with UEFA threatening to boycott the tournament while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also voiced strong opposition.

FIFA's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour accused Infantino of crafting the plan alone, saying staff had been "deceived," while secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described the affair as a "sad and reproachable series of events."

Faced with mounting pressure, along with the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro in protest, Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal.

Arsene Wenger reacts after Gianni Infantino's FIFA Forward Enterprise U-turn

© Imago / Panoramic by PsnewZ

Wenger has served as FIFA's chief of global football development since 2019, overseeing youth academies, coaching programmes and technical development initiatives across the organisation's member associations.

Given his senior role within FIFA, the former Arsenal manager inevitably found himself linked to the controversy, with his silence on the issue attracting increasing attention. 

The Frenchman has now distanced himself from the proposal, stressing that his responsibilities are confined to football development rather than FIFA's commercial operations, while making it clear he supported the decision to abandon the plan.

Wenger said in a statement shared by FIFA, via ESPN, "The recent events at FIFA deserve some clarity from my side.

"At FIFA, I am the chief of global football development. Together with my team, I oversee the data analysis of the game, the FIFA online training centre, the development of youth education through 60 academies across 60 countries where they are most needed, and youth competitions around the world.

"In addition, I am a technical adviser to IFAB. I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports.

"The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity."

Is time up for Gianni Infantino?

© Iconsport / DeFodi Images

Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol has described the situation as "approaching game over" for Infantino, with the fallout increasingly viewed as a potential turning point in his presidency.

That belief has gained further momentum following reports that UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF have agreed to suspend their participation in FIFA governance until Infantino steps down, a move that would severely disrupt the organisation's decision-making process.

The long-held assumption has been that Infantino remains secure because no credible challenger has emerged ahead of the 2027 presidential election, but recent developments have made that argument look increasingly fragile.

UEFA is exploring alternative candidates, the nomination deadline does not arrive until November, and three confederations controlling more than 140 votes have now publicly turned against him.

Infantino's position has never been built on popularity but on the absence of a serious challenger, and with that no longer guaranteed, the Swiss-Italian is facing the most vulnerable moment of his decade-long FIFA presidency.