Portuguese football icon Luís Figo has launched a scathing attack on FIFA president Gianni Infantino, calling for his immediate resignation following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Figo described the episode as among the most troubling examples of self-serving conduct he has witnessed in football administration, accusing Infantino of undermining the very office he was elected to uphold. The former Barcelona and Real Madrid winger, who earned 127 caps for Portugal and has served as a football adviser to UEFA since 2017, argued that Infantino's tenure since 2016 has diminished rather than elevated FIFA's presidency.
The controversy erupted after Infantino was compelled to abandon a scheme that would have seen private equity firms acquire stakes in the World Cup. The proposal triggered a fierce backlash spearheaded by UEFA, leaving the 56-year-old FIFA chief fighting to retain his position. In response to mounting pressure, Infantino convened an emergency meeting with FIFA staff on Wednesday.
The fallout has exposed deep fractures within football's governing body. Arsène Wenger, the former Arsenal manager who now serves as FIFA's chief of global football development, distanced himself from the plan, stating that withdrawing it was