Gianni Infantino’s position as Fifa president has been called into question by the head of Europe’s professional football leagues after his plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights to the World Cup was abandoned following widespread opposition.
Claudius Schaefer, chief executive of the Swiss Football League and head of the organisation representing 53 professional men’s and women’s leagues, said there could be “only one consequence” for Infantino after the proposal was pushed through without the involvement of Fifa’s key governing bodies.
“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.
Asked whether that meant Infantino was no longer acceptable as president of football’s world governing body, Schaefer replied: “This is usually the consequence when someone in a company pushes such a business deal forward without anyone knowing about it.”
Fifa confirmed on Friday that it had scrapped the plan after the proposal prompted a major backlash from regional football organisations.
UEFA and CONCACAF, two of Fifa’s six continental confederations, said on Saturday that they had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership.
The proposed commercial arrangement would have involved selling a stake in the World Cup’s commercial rights. The plan had raised concerns among regional associations and leagues, particularly because of its possible effect on the football calendar.
Schaefer said the proposal indicated that Fifa’s priority was to increase financial returns for outside parties by creating more competitions and expanding existing tournaments.
“It’s solely about the financial advantages; everything else is completely ignored,” he said.
European Leagues opposed the plan because additional international fixtures would have placed further pressure on a calendar that is already heavily congested, Schaefer added. He warned that the likely consequence would have been a reduction in the importance and space given to domestic championships.
The decision-making process also contributed to the criticism. Schaefer said the plan had not been disclosed to the Fifa Council, the body responsible for governing Fifa, before it was advanced.
“Nobody knew about the plans, not even the Fifa Council, the governing body of Fifa. I was very surprised that the president was acting completely alone in this matter.”
Infantino’s decision to abandon the proposal came after opposition spread among football’s regional leadership. The reaction from UEFA and CONCACAF has now added to the pressure on the Fifa president, while Schaefer’s comments represent a direct challenge from the European leagues’ leadership.
European Leagues’ concerns centre on the balance between international competitions and domestic football. Its member leagues believe that increasing the number of matches at international level would put further strain on players, clubs and national competitions.
Schaefer’s criticism was made in his capacity both as leader of European professional leagues and as chief executive of the Swiss Football League. He said the lack of consultation over the proposed rights deal made Infantino’s position difficult to defend within any major organisation.
Infantino said the plan had been withdrawn after the widespread backlash. The dispute has nevertheless left questions over his leadership, with UEFA and CONCACAF publicly stating that they no longer have confidence in him.
