Infantino's FIFA future in jeopardy after private equity gamble backfires

FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, hitherto untouchable at the helm of soccer's global governing body, suffered a crushing blow on Friday when his bold reach for private equity riches was brought to an end in the face of a ferocious backlash.

A FIFA statement, ​attributed to Infantino, conceded that the proposal to create a commercial entity to run the World Cup and other tournaments, 20% of which would be sold to private investors, was divisive ‌and dead in the water.