World Cup: The heritage of the people of the world

You may regret thinking about dire condition of Bangladesh's football team. If Gianni Infantino's plan had been approved, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) would have received a tremendous opportunity for football development. For the BFF, which has long been in financial crisis, FIFA's promised approximately $40 million (roughly Tk 492 crore) could have been a massive boon. This could have paved ways for significant improvements in infrastructure development, grassroots football, age-based teams, women's football, and the coaching system.

However, FIFA's money has also caused misdeeds in the BFF. Allegations of misuse of FIFA's grant money and corruption had been raised against the BFF. Even FIFA itself had banned the BFF's then-general secretary due to financial irregularities. So, I say, if this plan hasn't been approved, perhaps it's for the best. But not just for the BFF—for the entire world, this rejection is big news.

Football is not just a game. It is also a monument to memories, emotions, history, and the joys and sorrows of billions of people. Just as a goal in the World Cup can make a nation weep with joy, a defeat can linger as a painful wound for a long time. Therefore, the World Cup can never be the commercial asset of a select few. This is precisely why FIFA President Gianni Infantino's recent plan sparked such a huge controversy in world football.

What Was the Plan?

Infantino's plan was to form a new commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). Under this entity, FIFA's most valuable commercial assets—such as broadcasting rights, sponsorships, tickets, and licensing for the World Cup, Women's World Cup, Club World Cup, and others—would be bundled together. The plan was then to sell roughly 20 percent of this company's shares to private investors to raise about $4.2 billion. According to the FIFA President, this would be very little investment, and control would remain firmly in FIFA's hands. The proceeds would be spent on football development.

The beneficiaries would be 211 member countries. If approved, each member country would receive a one-time $20 million next January. After that, another $20 million in the 2027–30 cycle. Beyond this Tk 492 crore (approx. $40 million total per member), there were promises of additional funds. On paper, it was a dreamlike proposal.

Storm of Criticism

The problem is that UEFA—Europe—rejected this tempting proposal from the very start. Their 55 countries threatened to boycott all FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also aligned their stance. While they didn't threaten a boycott, they spoke out vehemently against Infantino's plan. The crisis deepened further with opposition from many officials within FIFA itself. FIFA's senior advisor, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned, calling it a "bad plan for the future of football." FIFA's Chief Operating Officer of the Governing Body, Kevin Lamour, publicly criticized it in strong language, saying, "This is the brainchild of one person. The FIFA administration was kept completely in the dark."

The plan was not at all transparent. Hence, the concerns of various countries and those FIFA officials—that it would plunge football's future into darkness.

Potential Loss

One question might arise: while Infantino has shown figures for financial development, why can't the critics point to any specific financial loss? That is true—not all losses have a monetary value. You can determine the price of the wood of an old banyan tree if you cut it down, but you cannot determine the price of its shade.

To put it more simply, you would no longer feel the thrill or enjoy watching football like before. Your beloved football could become a version of WWE—where everything is fake and scripted. Because private investors might demand a 40-minute band show within the 90-minute game, commercial breaks every 15 minutes, and that the big teams—those associated with major brands—must be made to win. When a private company becomes a stakeholder in the World Cup, they can certainly make such demands, and FIFA would have no choice but to listen!

FIFA might officially say, "Control remains in our hands." But once shareholders of a company feel the pressure to increase returns on their investment, the profit calculation gradually becomes the centerpiece of decision-making. An undeniable truth of the corporate world is—where capital goes, the demand for profit follows.

Then the World Cup will no longer contain the pure joy of football. It turns into an entertainment package—where there will be drama, lights, and advertisements, but there will be no beauty or thrill of a football moment.

Football is the World's Asset

There are some institutions in the world that cannot be left to the hands of the market. For example, if you hand over the fire service to the private sector, they won't come even if your house is on fire. They will say, "Deposit the money first, then we'll come to put out the fire."

Similarly, you cannot turn the police department into a profit-based institution. Then they will serve only the wealthy. If you don't have money, you won't get the police even in your times of crisis. Likewise, if the healthcare system is entirely placed in the hands of the market, there will be no such thing as vaccines, emergency care, or the lives of poor people. We can remain worry-free only because the state arranges free vaccines. It was precisely because the government didn't arrange measles vaccines on time that several children lost their lives—and that is why the government faced criticism, because it is their responsibility. This is why the modern state considers certain sectors as part of the public interest.

Football is not a state matter, but rather the most captivating element of global entertainment. It is not the property of any single individual or institution. It is the collective cultural heritage of the people of the world.

Whether Infantino understands this truth, who knows. However, due to widespread criticism, the FIFA president has had to back away from the controversial plan. He himself admitted that his proposal created division within the football family, and that division has defeated the very purpose of the project.

In conclusion

Infantino tried to sell the rights to the World Cup by tempting the entire world with money. But the World Cup is such an asset that its shares cannot be sold. It is the heritage of the world's people, and it is our responsibility to hand it down intact to the next generation.