FIFPRO Also Stands Against Infantino

David Aganzo, President of the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO), has launched a scathing attack on FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The criticism stems from the new Club World Cup format and other controversial initiatives, which the union describes as an "abuse of power."

During a press conference in Brussels, Aganzo directly challenged the head of world football. "Infantino must stop abusing his power to announce competitions that only benefit him, without consulting the players," he stated.

FIFA decided to expand the Club World Cup to 32 teams from 2026, to be held every four years. Aganzo labeled this an "unreasonable competition" that will overburden players. "He doesn't care about the health of the footballers," the FIFPRO president added. "They should not be forced to play in a tournament that will deprive them of the rest they deserve."

Despite the criticism, Gianni Infantino remains confident in the new format's success, promising: "We will make it the best club competition in the world."

Tensions between FIFPRO and Infantino have also escalated due to another contentious plan: his intention to sell a stake in World Cup rights to private investors through a new entity called "FIFA Forward Enterprise." The idea was for this entity to control the organization's leading men's and women's tournaments, aiming to generate up to $4.2 billion in revenue for football development.

However, the project was developed in secret and sparked widespread discontent. In an official statement, FIFPRO declared:

"A plan that could forever change the ownership and governance structure of the FIFA World Cup was developed in secret, discussed behind closed doors, and almost agreed upon before the FIFA Council, member associations, and players were even aware of its existence. This is not just poor governance. This is a blatant abuse of presidential power."

The initiative faced strong opposition from several continental confederations, including UEFA, CONCACAF, AFC, and CONMEBOL. The European governing body even threatened to boycott FIFA tournaments. Following immense pressure, Infantino abandoned the project during an extraordinary meeting in Morocco, and FIFA's leadership apologized to its members. Nevertheless, UEFA announced that it had lost confidence in the president of the world football governing body.