Gianni Infantino has been told he has ‘crossed a line’ with his plans to sell stakes in the World Cup. The FIFA boss is reportedly eyeing a ‘£15 billion sell-off’ with private investors already consulted, according to The Times.

The leader of world football’s governing body has been involved in controversy throughout the 2026 World Cup, with his close relationship to US President Donald Trump being put under the microscope.

Trump personally phoned Infantino to ask for a review of Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia & Herzegovina, with the ban being suspended before the USA’s next match. There were even calls for an investigation into Infantino’s actions.

World Cup Stakes Could Be Sold By FIFA

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Now, the FIFA president has been met with a furious statement by UEFA as his plan to sell World Cup stakes became public knowledge. Infantino’s plan is for FIFA to retain majority control, with the rest being sold to the 211 national associations and partly to private investment.

Infantino himself is reportedly in line to pocket ‘tens of millions of pounds’ as a result of the scheme. The Trump administration has been approached with the idea, which would see a company being formed to control FIFA’s men’s and women’s competitions, the World Cup and Club World Cup.

The Times’ report states that one senior figure in the football world views the plan as a ‘nuclear bomb’ for the sport. There are also private concerns that investors would apply pressure to host tournaments in countries based on commercial opportunities.

UEFA Condemn Infantino’s World Cup Plan

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

UEFA have responded to the plan with anger. The governing body of European football has claimed Infantino is ‘crossing a line’.

The statement reads: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Despite recent criticism, Infantino is set to be re-elected as the FIFA president until 2031, with the 56-year-old facing no competition. He could become the ‘commissioner’ of the World Cup once his presidency finally ends in five years.

Argentina president Javier Milei has gone on a scathing rant against US politicians and two other major 2026 World Cup nations, accusing them of funding an ‘anti-Argentina campaign’.

La Albiceleste were at the centre of several controversies during the tournament. Several players were spotted holding a Falklands-related banner following the semi-final win against England. Then, Leandro Paredes, Nicolas Otamendi, Nahuel Molina and coach Roberto Ayala were involved in heated interactions after the final.

Now, President Milei has accused US Democrats, Mexico and Brazil of leading an agenda against his country. Argentina were criticised for racism and conspiracy theories alleging favouritism towards Lionel Messi and his teammates.

Argentina’s President Lashes Out at Two Nations

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Milei responded to that criticism with a series of Instagram posts accusing those voices of ‘jealousy’. Furthering the row, he has now accused Brazil and Mexico of leading a smear campaign against Argentina.

He said: “Who put the most money into this anti-Argentina campaign? The Brazilian government. Twenty-five per cent of the funding came from the Brazilian government. And then they lecture me about interference.”

He made the claim in an interview with Radio Mitre (via Express Sport), but provided no evidence to support his claim. He went on to suggest the ‘campaign’ had also been ‘funded by Mexico, by the Democratic Party in the United States. Who are they? They are the progressive leaders who don’t want the ideas of freedom to succeed.’

The 55-year-old also defended his country in social media posts, with one reading: “Do you have enemies? It means you once defended something. We defend Argentina.”

Another said: “The problem with Argentina is that we stand out. We don’t go unnoticed, people are jealous of us, and we’re good at almost everything.

Why Argentina’s President Skipped World Cup Final

Image via Reuters/James Lang

Milei passed up on the opportunity to accompany US President Donald Trump and FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to the final at MetLife Stadium.

His reasoning was down to superstition. The South Americans had kept winning while he watched from home, so he hoped to continue that luck by staying put for the clash against Spain.

Ahead of the showdown, he told a local Buenos Aires radio station: “No way [will he attend]. I’m going to keep watching all the games from Olivos.

The Judgment Day gained a new ally on WWE Raw, as WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia emerged from the crowd to bolster the villainous faction’s ongoing feud with Danhausen and Joe Hendry.

Hendry and Danhausen appeared on the July 27 episode at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California to deliver a special concert. But the unlikely duo had their musical extravaganza cut short by Garcia, with JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio supporting the ambush.

‘King Ryan’ might seem an unlikely addition to the faction given his lack of professional wrestling experience, but there’s a major reason why he was introduced into the storyline.

Garcia Calls Curfew on Danhausen and Joe Hendry

Credit: WWE

Danhausen and Hendry have been a stubborn thorn in the side of the Judgment Day as of late. As well as cursing numerous members of the group, Danhausen recorded a win over McDonagh at the latest installment of Saturday Night’s Main Event, ensuring his unbeaten streak in WWE continued. Hendry, meanwhile, defeated Mysterio on last week’s episode of Raw with an assist from Danhausen.

And with a SummerSlam showdown between the quirky superstar and Mysterio yet to come, perhaps their celebratory concert was premature. Hendry played his usual guitar whilst Danhausen joined him on an organ very befitting of his gimmick. A group of mini-hausens and the LA Clippers dancers also added to the routine.

But unknown to the pair, Garcia had managed to sneak into the dance line before pouncing on the musical act. Garcia delivered his best Jeff Jarrett impression, smashing the guitar across Hendry’s back. McDonagh and Mysterio then rushed the ring, attacking Danhausen and the mini-hausens before Dirty Dom could land a Frog Splash on his SummerSlam opponent. McDonaugh concluded the attack by destroying the remaining instruments.

Why Did Ryan Garcia Align with The Judgment Day?

Whilst celebrity appearances in WWE have become the norm over recent years, a reigning boxing world champion ambushing WWE superstars is on a slightly different level. But with a major world title fight on his calendar, a report from Cageside Seats suggests that Garcia’s involvement is solely designed to promote his highly-anticipated first title defence.

The American made headlines in February when he captured his first major world title at the T-Mobile Arena, defeating Mario Barrios via unanimous decision. The win took Garcia’s record to 25-2 (1), with 20 of them via knockout.

And Garcia will return to the site of his maiden world title win to make his first defence. The 27-year-old will head back to the T-Mobile Arena on September 12 to fight mandatory challenger Conor Benn. The pair have incredibly similar records, with Benn at 25-1 and 14 knockouts. His sole loss came against Chris Eubank Jr in 2025, although Benn won the rematch.

Garcia is promoted by Golden Boy, but the card for the fight will be co-promoted by Zuffa Boxing, the joint venture between TKO and Saudi-based entertainment company Sela. TKO also owns WWE. Nick Khan, WWE’s president, is also a key executive for Zuffa.

Already in camp for the Benn fight, it is unlikely that Garcia will be a regular on Raw moving forward, but it would be no surprise to see Hendry got his revenge at some point.