Although FIFA President Gianni Infantino has withdrawn his plan to sell commercial rights for the World Cup, his actions have sparked a series of reactions in the international football community, leading to a serious crisis of trust.
According to a report by the British newspaper The Guardian on August 19, Chaney Sándor, vice president of FIFA and chairman of the Hungarian Football Federation, stated in a strongly worded letter that he could not accept FIFA's decision to dismiss Chief Operating Officer Kevin Ramer. He has lost faith in Inzaghi. This means that five out of the eight FIFA vice presidents have publicly opposed Inzaghi.
On the 18th, Chani wrote to Infantino, saying: "I thought you had the ability to continue leading FIFA effectively and successfully, based on the shared values of our previous cooperation. But this confidence has now been shaken. The dismissal of Kevin Ramúr is the last straw that breaks the camel's back."
The letter mentions some “disputed decisions” by Inzaghi, including his plan to sell the commercial rights for the World Cup. It also criticizes Inzaghi’s “professional judgment, moral standards, and leadership abilities”.
On the 17th, FIFA confirmed that Chief Operating Officer Ramour resigned that day. Ramour has been the Chief Operating Officer of FIFA since November 2024. At the end of July this year, he openly opposed Berardino’s business plan.
FIFA Vice President and Chairman of the Hungarian Football Federation, János Sándor
As Chani expressed his stance, five out of the eight vice-chairs of FIFA have publicly opposed Gianni Infantino. Previously, UEFA President Alexander Zverev, CONCACAF President Victor Montalvan, AFC President Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, and England Football Association President Debby Hughes also made similar statements.
Among the vice-chairs of FIFA, only 3 explicitly support Inzaghi: Alejandro Domínguez, president of CONMEBOL; Patrice Motsepe, president of UEFA; and Lambert Malott, president of OFC.
Recently, the plan led by Gianni Ventura to sell commercial rights for the World Cup has caused a fierce backlash, and opinions in the international football world have quickly polarized. The controversy stems from FIFA's plan to establish a commercial entity called "FIFA Forward Enterprises". The commercial rights for FIFA's core events, including the World Cup, will be managed by this company. This company will also introduce private capital through the sale of shares.
This business plan faced widespread opposition and skepticism from the international football community. Under pressure from boycotts, Infantino ultimately announced the abandonment of the plan. FIFA subsequently apologized to its member associations for the mistakes made in the decision-making and communication process.
