Wenger Calls for Transparency After FIFA Investment Plan Scrapped

Arsene Wenger, serving as FIFA's chief of global football development since 2019, declared that the decision to abandon a plan for private investment in FIFA competitions was “absolutely necessary and beyond question.” FIFA president Gianni Infantino had proposed creating a commercial subsidiary to manage key events, including the World Cups, allowing external investors to acquire stakes. Following widespread criticism, Wenger issued a statement clarifying that he was not involved in the strategic plan and first learned of it through media reports.

He emphasized the need for “transparency and integrity” within FIFA. Wenger stated, “The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question,” advocating for an independent FIFA committed to serving the game.

Additionally, Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance, criticized the proposal as “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future.” Wenger is among 18 FIFA officials considering legal action regarding the matter.