FIFA chief Infantino's position 'untenable' after commercial rights plan failure, says European leagues head

The head of European professional football leagues declared on Sunday that FIFA President Gianni Infantino's position appears untenable following a controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights.

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When I saw how this whole thing unfolded and that FIFA’s key bodies weren’t involved, then there’s essentially only one consequence in any company or association.

Claudius Schaefer, who leads an organization representing 53 professional men's and women's football leagues, suggested that Infantino's failed initiative leaves "only one consequence." He criticized the process, noting that FIFA's key governing bodies were not involved in the proposal. "When I saw how this whole thing unfolded and that FIFA’s key bodies weren’t involved, then there’s essentially only one consequence in any company or association," Schaefer told Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung.

Schaefer, also the chief executive of the Swiss Football League, indicated that such a situation typically results in a significant repercussion for the individual responsible. He elaborated that the proposal seemed primarily focused on maximizing profits for third parties through future competitions, potentially at the expense of national championships due to an already crowded international calendar.

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This is usually the consequence when someone in a company pushes such a business deal forward without anyone knowing about it.

Infantino announced on Friday that FIFA had abandoned the plan after facing widespread opposition. Regional confederations UEFA and CONCACAF publicly stated on Saturday that they had lost confidence in his leadership. Schaefer expressed surprise that the FIFA president acted unilaterally on such a significant business deal, emphasizing that even the FIFA Council was unaware of the plans.

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It’s solely about the financial advantages; everything else is completely ignored.