Ex-Arsenal boss Wenger was ‘not aware’ of Infantino’s FIFA plan

What the report says

FIFA executive Arsene Wenger has publicly separated himself from Gianni Infantino’s abandoned proposal to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors. In remarks reported by Al Jazeera and the Associated Press, Wenger said he was not involved in the strategy and only learned of it through media coverage. He also said dropping the plan was necessary and defended the need for an independent FIFA committed to transparency and integrity.

The comments came after UEFA sent a legal preservation letter to FIFA, confirming to Al Jazeera that it had made the request but declining further comment. The AP also reported that its journalists had seen a letter from UEFA lawyers naming Wenger among executives whose data and communications should be retained as possible evidence. Wenger did not mention Infantino by name in his statement.

Infantino withdrew the proposal after strong opposition from football bodies and officials, including threats of a boycott from UEFA. The plan would have created a separate company to manage commercial parts of FIFA’s business, including World Cup-related broadcasting, sponsorship and ticketing, and sought to raise billions from investors in exchange for a minority stake. FIFA’s member federations were also told they could receive larger funding payments. The episode matters because it raised wider questions about governance, transparency and the commercialization of football’s global governing body.