ZURICH — FIFA President Gianni Infantino faced mounting pressure on August 1 after UEFA and CONCACAF said they had lost confidence in his leadership following the withdrawal of a controversial plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions. The dispute has triggered an unusually public confrontation between FIFA's president and several of the organisation's regional confederations. FIFA had proposed creating a commercial subsidiary that would manage the World Cup and other competitions and raise about $4.2 billion by selling a 20% stake to outside investors. The proposal was presented to FIFA's 211 member associations, but several regional confederations complained that they had not been adequately consulted before the plan was advanced. The proposal was subsequently abandoned after strong opposition from football officials. UEFA welcomed the withdrawal but said the episode had exposed deeper concerns about FIFA's governance. Europe's governing body said it had lost confidence in Infantino and called for greater accountability over decisions affecting the future of world football. CONCACAF, which governs football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also criticised the process and said the proposal had been advanced outside established governance procedures. The criticism represents a significant challenge for Infantino, who has been one of the most influential figures in international football since becoming FIFA president in 2016. He has been re-elected twice without facing opposition and had appeared to be in a strong position ahead of the next presidential election. The dispute could nevertheless complicate his political position as FIFA prepares for another leadership contest. The controversy centres not only on the commercial proposal but also on the way it was developed. Regional confederations argued that a decision with potentially far-reaching consequences for the finances and governance of global football should have involved consultation with FIFA's confederations, council and member associations before being presented as a formal initiative. Critics have described the process as lacking transparency and said FIFA's leadership needs stronger checks and balances. Infantino and FIFA have defended their approach to developing commercial opportunities and have argued that additional revenues could support football development around the world. The abandoned proposal was expected to generate substantial funds that could have been used for football development programmes, although critics questioned whether the benefits justified changing the structure through which FIFA manages its commercial assets. The dispute has also highlighted tensions over FIFA's financial resources. UEFA argued that FIFA already holds substantial reserves and questioned the need to sell a stake in future World Cup commercial income. The disagreement therefore involves both governance and the distribution of football revenues. Several national football associations have joined the debate, with some expressing concern about the lack of consultation while others continuing to support Infantino. The division could become more significant as the next FIFA presidential election approaches. Infantino has said he intends to seek another term, and his previous electoral dominance had made his re-election appear relatively secure. The latest dispute, however, has demonstrated that influential football organisations are prepared to challenge his leadership publicly. The episode has also renewed broader discussions about how FIFA makes major commercial decisions. Regional confederations have called for future initiatives to be discussed through established governance structures and for member associations to have sufficient time to assess their implications. For FIFA, restoring trust among its regional partners could now become a major priority. The organisation will need to rebuild relationships with confederations that have questioned the transparency of its decision-making while continuing to manage the commercial and sporting demands of global football. The collapse of the proposal therefore marks more than the end of a single commercial initiative. It has exposed a serious governance dispute within international football and placed additional scrutiny on Infantino's leadership ahead of the next FIFA presidential election.