​Wide-ranging outrage, objections from politicians and a clear veto from UEFA: FIFA president Gianni Infantino has once again sparked major criticism with his latest plans involving investors in the World Cup.Nine days after the World Cup final in the United States, the governing body announced that it intends to raise billions of dollars by potentially selling part of its commercial rights, including those related to the World Cup.It is not the first time that President Infantino has actively pursued such an unprecedented sell-off of FIFA rights.In November 2018, he promoted an investment deal for the marketing rights to a new 24-team Club World Cup and a global Nations League featuring a finals tournament for continental champions. The deal was worth a staggering $25 billion. At the time, Infantino failed.Infantino’s move after World Cup turbulenceThis time, FIFA cited expected proceeds of $4.2 billion to be used for football development around the world.Such a move would also have another effect: after serving another term as president, Infantino could become CEO of the newly established subsidiary FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) from 2031 onward, allowing him to retain significant influence within FIFA even after his 15 years in office end.It is another classic Infantino manoeuvre. During the World Cup, he faced heavy criticism over the lifting of a suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun after an intervention from US President Donald Trump. Now he is going on the offensive.Earlier this week, it emerged that a Democratic congressman wants to summon Infantino before the House Judiciary Committee for questioning when he is in the United States.But now media attention has shifted as many are asking: What happens next with the planned FIFA deal?What would change for fans?FIFA announced no concrete changes for fans. But according to a report by The Times, such a deal could increase pressure to expand the World Cup field even further or stage the tournament more frequently than the current four-year cycle.The reason lies in the business model behind such investments: investors expect the commercial company’s revenues to grow. As revenue and company value increase, so does the value of their investment. More matches or more tournaments could generate higher income.In its statement, FIFA said it would retain “and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions.”Infantino has already stated that revenues during the current World Cup cycle are expected to rise to $15 billion.Who are the opponents, and what can they do?The most powerful opponent is Europe’s governing body UEFA, which clearly expressed its rejection by saying the FIFA plan “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.”UEFA stated that it is taking the matter very seriously and an emergency meeting of the European associations could reportedly take place before the end of the