Summary: FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup could have earned him nearly ₦98 billion annually. Here’s everything Nigerian football fans need to know about this scandalous plot.
If you thought the drama surrounding Nigerian football was something, wait until you hear what FIFA President Gianni Infantino was allegedly cooking up behind closed doors. Reports have revealed that the Swiss-Italian football boss could have been smiling to the bank with nearly £47 million — that’s a jaw-dropping ₦98 billion every single year — had his controversial plan to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup gone through.
Yes, you read that correctly. The same World Cup that Super Eagles fans bleed green-and-white for. The same tournament that had all of Nigeria glued to their screens. Someone at the very top was allegedly plotting to commercialise it in a way that would have lined his own pockets in a most extraordinary fashion.
So What Exactly Was This Plot?
According to reports, Infantino had been pushing a plan that would have seen a significant ownership stake in the FIFA World Cup sold off to private investors. Think of it like selling shares in the most valuable football property on the planet — a tournament that generates billions of dollars every four years and commands the attention of billions of people worldwide, including millions of passionate fans across Nigeria and Africa.
The deal, had it materialised, would have reportedly earned Infantino personally close to $63 million (approximately ₦98 billion) per year. To put that into perspective for our Nigerian readers, that figure is more than the annual budget of several Nigerian states combined. It is the kind of money that makes even the most successful Aliko Dangote business deals raise an eyebrow.
Why Should Nigerians Care?
Here in Nigeria, football is not just a sport — it is a religion. From the dusty pitches of Kaduna to the beach football scenes in Lagos, from the viewing centres in Aba packed to the brim during AFCON to the passionate debates on Twitter (now X) after every Super Eagles match, Nigerians live and breathe the beautiful game.
The World Cup, in particular, holds a sacred place in our hearts. We remember Italia ’90, when the Super Eagles announced themselves to the world. We remember USA ’94 and the magic of Rashidi Yekini’s iconic goal celebration. France ’98. We have cried, celebrated, and argued over this tournament for generations.
So when the man sitting at the very top of world football allegedly tries to monetise the game’s greatest showpiece for personal gain, it is an insult — not just to football purists — but to every fan from Lagos to Maiduguri who has ever stayed up past midnight to watch a World Cup match.
The Bigger Picture: FIFA’s Long History of Controversy
Let’s be honest — this is not exactly new territory for FIFA. The organisation has been rocked by corruption scandals that would make even the most seasoned Nollywood scriptwriter shake their head in disbelief. From the infamous FIFA corruption arrests of 2015 to ongoing questions about how World Cup hosting rights are awarded, the governing body of world football has spent years trying to rebuild its battered reputation.
Infantino himself took over in 2016 partly on a promise of reform and transparency after the chaos that engulfed his predecessor, Sepp Blatter. Yet allegations and controversies have continued to follow him like a bad market rumour.
What Happened to the Plan?
The controversial stake-selling proposal did not go ahead — at least not in the form that was reportedly being discussed. It faced significant pushback from within football circles, with critics arguing that privatising a share of the World Cup would compromise the integrity of the tournament and prioritise profit over the spirit of the game.
For now, the World Cup remains under FIFA’s full stewardship. But the fact that such a plan was allegedly being seriously considered — and that one individual stood to personally benefit to the tune of nearly ₦98 billion annually — raises serious questions about governance, accountability, and who football truly belongs to.
The Verdict
Football belongs to the fans. It belongs to the young boy in Surulere practising free kicks with a makeshift ball. It belongs to the woman in Port Harcourt who never misses a Super Eagles match. It belongs to communities across Africa and the world for whom the World Cup represents hope, pride, and unity.
No single individual — no matter how powerful — should be able to put a personal price tag on that.
As Nigerians, we must stay informed, stay vocal, and demand that those who govern our beloved sport do so with integrity. Because if we don’t hold them accountable, who will?
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