Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has launched a scathing critique of Gianni Infantino’s abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup, labeling the initiative “even worse than the Super League plan.” Speaking on the podcast The Rest is Politics: Leading, Ceferin argued that while the 2021 breakaway Super League threatened the sport by allowing elite clubs to form their own competition, the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme represented a literal sale of football itself.
The FFE project was shelved earlier this month following intense backlash. Ceferin expressed relief that the sport was protected from private ownership, stating, “I’m absolutely sure that the plan is dead. For me, the most important thing is that we stopped another try to sell the sport.” He added that it is difficult to fathom why anyone would attempt to commodify a game that belongs to the public.
The Uefa chief warned that Infantino’s position is increasingly precarious. While the Fifa president spent the weekend in the Dominican Republic courting support from Concacaf members—an effort that reportedly frustrated many attendees—Ceferin believes the path to survival is narrowing. He noted that Infantino faces two potential outcomes: either realizing he lacks the necessary political backing from the football community, fans, and players, or proceeding to the March elections, where he will almost certainly face a challenger. While Ceferin did not name a specific opponent, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has been mentioned as a potential candidate.
Ceferin confirmed he has no intention of running for the Fifa presidency himself, asserting that his credibility remains higher because he is not seeking the role. He is currently expected to run unopposed for a fourth term as Uefa president next April. Regarding rumors that Infantino might revive the Super League under a Fifa brand, Ceferin expressed confidence that such a move is unlikely for at least a decade.
The Uefa president also addressed concerns regarding Infantino’s relationship with Donald Trump, particularly after the former US president intervened to request a review of a red card issued to striker Folarin Balogun. Ceferin described the incident as “more than shocking,” emphasizing that the integrity of the game relies on respecting established rules. He cautioned that relying on political friendships is naive, as politicians often abandon allies the moment they become a liability.
Opposition to Infantino continues to mount across Europe. The six Nordic football associations recently issued a joint statement declaring they have lost confidence in the Fifa president, citing serious concerns over governance and high-level decision-making. They have demanded binding assurances that Fifa will never again open its competitions to private ownership and have called for an independent, third-party review of the FFE scheme. This follows the Norwegian Football Federation’s earlier call for Infantino to step down.
Following his meetings in the Caribbean, Infantino traveled to Paris on Sunday to attend the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, where he was seen interacting with French President Emmanuel Macron. As the political landscape shifts, Uefa remains firm in its opposition, with ongoing discussions regarding a potential combined Nations League tournament with Concacaf and a standing threat to boycott Fifa competitions. The report also notes that football would be literally sold, but in this case. The report also notes that it’s hard to imagine what kind of people would sell the sport that belongs to everyone.”. The report also notes that ceferin is confident that any revival of that plan would be decades away. The report also notes that “It might happen in 20 years, you never know, but for now we cooperate with everyone in a great way. The report also notes that i’m sure it cannot happen in the next 10 years,” he said. The report also notes that “I didn’t speak with him, he didn’t contact me since this happened,” he said.
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