FIFA development chief Arsene Wenger has denied any involvement in the recently abandoned $4bn sell-off plan, which aimed to sell stakes in a new commercial vehicle managing the World Cup to private investors. Wenger stated he only learned about the proposal, which included members of Donald Trump’s extended family as potential investors, through media reports.
The former Arsenal manager described the decision to scrap the plan as “absolutely necessary and beyond question,” emphasising his belief in an independent FIFA. Wenger's statement follows similar criticisms from FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom and Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, leaving President Gianni Infantino increasingly isolated.
Grafstrom, Infantino’s second in command, called the events a “sad and reproachable series of events” in a leaked internal email. Lamour had previously labelled the plan “the project of one person” and claimed he and others were kept in the dark. European nations had unanimously voted to boycott future World Cups if the plan was not permanently abandoned, leading Infantino to shelve it over the weekend.