Arsene Wenger says Fifa U-turn ‘necessary’ as pressure grows on Gianni Infantino

Arsene Wenger and Gianni Infantino’s number two have criticised the Swiss’ plan to seek private investment in a company to run the World Cup as pressure continues to ramp up on the Fifa president.

Former Arsenal manager Wenger, Fifa’s chief of global football development, issued a statement on Tuesday saying he was “not involved” in the plan but that the decision to withdraw it was “absolutely necessary and beyond question”.

Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, the second most senior figure in the organisation after Infantino, is also understood to have sent an email to Fifa staff addressing the “sad and reproachable series of events” of the last week “which thankfully concluded with the project being permanently abandoned”.

The plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a company to run the commercial and operational aspects of Fifa’s tournaments, first emerged in reports by The Times and the Financial Times last Tuesday, before Fifa issued confirmation of some of the details. The most controversial aspect of the plan was the idea to sell 20 per cent of FFE to private investors.

The plan was firmly rejected by European football’s governing body Uefa, as well as CONCACAF – the confederation representing nations from North and Central America plus the Caribbean – and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Uefa also threatened to boycott Fifa competitions including the World Cup until the plan was scrapped, which it duly was last Saturday.

Uefa said it had nevertheless “lost confidence” in Infantino and a number of its associations – including those of England and Wales – have since formally withdrawn their support for Infantino, with the Scottish Football Association understood to be aligned to Uefa’s position.

Work is understood to be continuing among members of the Fifa Council to seek a majority of 19 to request a meeting to hold Infantino to account over the plans, and over his handling of the Folarin Balogun case.

If a majority cannot be reached, or if Infantino refuses that request, the Council members who oppose him intend to stage a ‘governance boycott’ and effectively render Fifa incapable of operating, the Press Association understands.

Wenger had faced criticism in recent days for his silence over the FFE plans but spoke out on Tuesday to welcome the withdrawal of the project, adding: “I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”

Grafstrom is understood to have emailed Fifa staff to thank them for their efforts during the World Cup but accepted they had now been “thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept”.

Grafstrom promised staff would be “defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience”, pointedly adding: “Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue.”

The comments from Wenger and Grafstrom follow the resignation last week of Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro, who described the FFE plan as a “bad deal for football”, and a damning statement from Fifa chief operating officer Kevin Lamour to the Associated Press in which he said the organisation’s staff had been “deceived” by Infantino.

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With Africa, South America and Oceania largely expected to remain behind Infantino, Asian associations could hold the key to his future and some – including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka and Lebanon – have already come out in support.

Jordan has emphatically gone the other way however, with its association president Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein accusing Fifa of “blackmail”. He alleged in a post on X that Fifa told him during the World Cup he would receive money allegedly owed to the association if he voted for Infantino. Fifa is aware of Prince Ali’s comments and has so far declined to respond.

Uefa has also told Infantino it is “actively considering” legal action over the FFE plan and lawyers acting on behalf of the European body have ordered Infantino and other Fifa staff to identify, locate and preserve any documents related to the project.