By Andrew Warshaw
November 19 – A prominent FIFA council member is urging Gianni Infantino to come clean over his alleged landscape-changing plan to sell off FIFA’s World Cup rights as part of a $25 billion deal with a consortium linked to Saudi Arabia.
Two German media outlets claim Infantino’s plan – originally solely supposed to involve investors for a new global Nations League and a revamped Club World Cup – would sensationally also include purchase rights to the World Cup.
The FIFA president has been reluctant to divulge details of his pet project which was recently shelved by the FIFA Council with a final decision due next March following detailed analysis by a special Task Force.
FIFA has consistently downplayed reports that a large part of the money is coming from Saudi Arabia and Infantino, who is seeking re-election as FIFA president next year and has promised member associations huge increases in development funding, has insisted that “there is no sovereign fund of any state. It’s a private company.”
But German Football Association (DFB) President Reinhard Grindel (pictured) has urged Infantino to “put all the facts and information on the table” in terms of whether there is a personal geo-political motive.
“It can’t be, that every day there are new rumours and speculation,” Grindel was quoted as saying. “Even after eight months, we are still speculating on the exact basis of this ominous offer. It is important that the FIFA President stands for integrity, transparency and compliance.”
Süddeutsche Zeitung and WDR identified the consortium of investors as British investment group SB Investment Advisers Limited (SBIA) and the London-based investment company Centricus Partners LP, reporting they both had close ties to Saudi Arabia.
FIFA told DPA that the document referred to by the German media outlets was one of many hundreds of documents in circulation at the world body and that it was outdated.
“This does not allow conclusions to be drawn until a decision has been taken or a proposal accepted,” FIFA apparently told DPA.
It is not the first time that Grindel and Infantino have clashed in recent weeks.
During the race for Euro 2024 when Germany beat Turkey as hosts, Grindel expressed concern at claims that Infantino had met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and had personally endorsed the rival Turkish bid.
In response, according to Der Spiegel, Infantino expressed “surprise and disappointment” over the tone of Grindel’s letter, telling the German not to rely solely on “accusations made in the media.”
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