Ankara: FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom on Tuesday described the governing body's abandonment of the private investment proposal as "a sad and reproachable series of events," as pressure continues to mount on President Gianni Infantino. In an internal message to staff obtained by multiple media outlets, Grafstrom said the controversy surrounding the failed FIFA Football Enterprise (FFE) project had been "difficult to comprehend and accept," while urging employees to remain focused on serving football despite the ongoing turmoil.
According to Anadolu Agency, FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger also distanced himself from the proposal, saying he had not been involved in its development and that abandoning the project had been "absolutely necessary and beyond question." "The recent events at FIFA deserve some clarity from my side," Wenger said in a statement released by the governing body. "I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports." He added that withdrawing the proposal was "absolutely necessary and beyond question" because he believes in "an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency and integrity."
The comments from Grafstrom and Wenger represent the latest signs of internal dissent following the collapse of Infantino's plan to establish a commercial subsidiary to manage FIFA's flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, and allow external investors to acquire minority stakes. The crisis erupted just weeks after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament widely regarded as a commercial success that appeared to strengthen Infantino's position ahead of his expected bid for a fourth term in office.
Before the controversy, more than 200 of FIFA's 211 member associations had reportedly signed letters supporting his re-election. That political capital quickly evaporated after FIFA announced plans in late July to sell up to a 20% stake in a newly created commercial subsidiary, FFE, in a deal that could have valued the entity at around $20 billion. The proposed investor group included Thrive Eternal, an investment fund linked to Josh Kushner, alongside Bann Ventures Chief Executive Greg Maffei. JPMorgan and OpenEconomics were also involved in identifying prospective investors.
Thrive Eternal is linked to investor Josh Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and former senior White House adviser. The proposal immediately drew criticism from several continental confederations, which argued that FIFA had failed to properly consult its members over one of the most significant commercial decisions in its history. Faced with mounting opposition, Infantino abandoned the proposal on Aug. 1.