Report: Gianni Infantino pursued U-15 World Cup investment without informing FIFA Council

FIFA President Gianni Infantino “did not inform the FIFA Council that he was soliciting investment proposals” over the past year “from outside investors to finance a proposed Under-15 ‘World Cup’ for children,” according to sources cited by Adam Crafton of THE ATHLETIC. The Athletic revealed last week that Infantino had held talks to commercialize an Under-15 festival inspired by baseball’s Little League World Series. The proposals included all 211 FIFA nations. Infantino “requested and then reviewed a proposal drawn up by businessmen” including former Mexico Football Federation Commissioner Juan Carlos Rodríguez. Rodríguez “received backing from Eldridge Industries,” a global holding company founded and chaired by Todd Boehly, owner of Premier League club Chelsea and co-owner of the Dodgers. They “held conversations with ESPN,” a long-time broadcaster of the Little League World Series, to “host the event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.” Opening and closing ceremonies “would have been held at Disney, and ESPN was on board to broadcast the tournament” in the U.S. The proposal had over $250M of “financial commitments from investors, led by Boehly’s Eldridge.” The hope was to “secure returns through local broadcast deals and sponsorship,” with many nations competing in a “World Cup” for the first time. Those behind the proposal “discussed varying lengths of terms for the partnership, with use of FIFA’s brand and licensing over both a 20-year and 30-year period both discussed” (THE ATHLETIC, 8/27).