🔻The World Players’ Union (FIFPRO) released a sharp statement in which it strongly criticized Gianni Infantino and FIFA management for the controversial proposal to sell part of the commercial rights of the World Cup, and called for fundamental reforms to the governance structure of the institution.

🔹Referring to the sidelining of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, FIFPRO said that canceling the plan does not mean the crisis has ended and that what has happened is “clear evidence of abuse of the FIFA president’s power.” The union emphasized that a decision that could have permanently changed the ownership and the administration structure of the World Cup was designed behind closed doors without informing the FIFA Council, member federations, players, and other football stakeholders.

🔹The union also said that FIFA’s recent statement and the renewed support of senior officials of the organization for Infantino cannot restore the lost trust. The statement said: “Trust cannot be restored with official statements or internal reviews and will only be revived through real reforms to FIFA’s governance structure.”

🔹The World Players’ Union called for the legal and binding participation of representatives of professional football in FIFA’s major decision-making, granting voting rights to football stakeholders on the FIFA Council, and amending regulations in such a way that no individual could unilaterally make life-defining decisions for world football.

🔹The statement was released as the English Football Association had formally withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election, and UEFA once again reiterated its threat to boycott FIFA competitions until its demands are met, while continuing to call for the resignation of the FIFA president.