Real Madrid welcomes FIFA’s decision to drop World Cup investment plan

Spanish giants Real Madrid have welcomed FIFA’s decision to abandon its controversial proposal to allow private investment in the FIFA World Cup.

 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino withdrew the plan on Friday following strong opposition from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and several other continental football bodies.

 

In a statement issued on Sunday, Real Madrid described the reversal as a positive development for football.

 

“Our club believes this is good news for football, for its institutions and, above all, for the millions of fans of our beloved sport,” the club said.

 

The Spanish club also commended UEFA, football confederations, national federations and other institutions for opposing the proposal.

 

“Real Madrid wishes to express its gratitude to UEFA, to the confederations and federations, and to all the institutions that firmly and responsibly opposed this project.

 

“Their unity and sense of duty have protected football at a decisive moment,” the statement added.

 

Real Madrid, a founding member of the failed European Super League project, announced in February 2026 that it had reached an agreement with UEFA aimed at improving relations and promoting the development of European club football.

 

FIFA had unveiled plans on Tuesday to establish a commercial subsidiary to manage its flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, with the entity open to private investment.

 

Infantino had said the initiative could generate up to $4.2 billion in funding.

 

However, UEFA spearheaded opposition to the proposal, warning that its member associations would boycott FIFA competitions and expressing a loss of confidence in Infantino, who has faced mounting criticism over the plan.