FIFA President Gianni Infantino told his board that a fund of investors from the Middle East and Asia "wanted to pay" $25B to buy an expanded version of FIFA's Club World Cup, as well as the rights to a "proposed global league for national teams," according to Tariq Panja of the N.Y. TIMES. The council "rejected Infantino's request to push forward with the proposal," saying it needed more information. Sources said that details on the offer "were scant." Infantino did not "reveal the identity of the investors to the assembled FIFA Council, though he said the group wanted a speedy decision on its offer." FIFA has "never sold control of its events to the highest bidder, and never to an investment fund." The fact that Infantino "would even entertain such a proposal illustrates global soccer's current state of flux." Selling the competitions to a third party would also "represent a major shift in FIFA's business model." The proposal could help Infantino "on his quest to increase revenues and restore profits at FIFA." Many members at the meeting were "frustrated by Infantino's lack of candor" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/10).
