Arsene Wenger has distanced himself from Gianni Infantino’s failed attempt to bring private investors into FIFA’s commercial operations, insisting that he had no involvement in the controversial project and learned about it only through media reports. Wenger, who has served as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development since November 2019, issued a written statement on Tuesday as the fallout from the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal continued to engulf the governing body.
The former Arsenal manager had faced questions over his silence because of his senior position within FIFA. His statement clarified that his responsibilities were restricted to the technical and developmental side of the game rather than FIFA’s commercial strategy.
Infantino’s proposal involved establishing FIFA Forward Enterprise, a subsidiary that would oversee the governing body’s commercial and event operations. FIFA considered selling a non-controlling stake of up to 20 per cent in the entity to private investors, potentially raising around $4.2 billion.
The project drew fierce opposition because several confederations and national football associations said they had not been properly consulted. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF were among those to raise concerns about the process, while a number of European associations subsequently withdrew their support for Infantino’s re-election.
Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal following the backlash, but the withdrawal failed to end the crisis around his leadership. UEFA said it had lost confidence in the FIFA president and began considering potential legal action over the project.
Wenger says he learned of FIFA plan through media
{{/usCountry}}Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal following the backlash, but the withdrawal failed to end the crisis around his leadership. UEFA said it had lost confidence in the FIFA president and began considering potential legal action over the project.
Wenger says he learned of FIFA plan through media
{{/usCountry}}Breaking his silence, Wenger explained the limits of his role at FIFA and offered his unequivocal support for the decision to scrap the proposal. “The recent events at FIFA deserve some clarity from my side,” Wenger said in the statement. “At FIFA, I am the Chief of Global Football Development. Together with my team, I oversee the data analysis of the game, the FIFA online training centre, the development of youth education through 60 academies across 60 countries where they are most needed, and youth competitions around the world.
“In addition, I am a technical adviser to IFAB. I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports. The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”
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Wenger’s intervention represents a significant public break from Infantino over the handling of the project. While the Frenchman did not demand the FIFA president’s resignation or announce his own departure from the organisation, he made it clear that he neither helped formulate the proposal nor supported its continuation.
The comments also increased the pressure on Infantino ahead of FIFA’s presidential election scheduled for March 2027. The English and Welsh football associations are among the European bodies that have withdrawn their backing for his re-election following the controversy.
Wenger’s statement came as senior figures within FIFA also sought to distance themselves from the abandoned plan. The crisis has developed from a dispute over private investment into a wider confrontation over transparency, consultation and Infantino’s authority within world football.