Portuguese football legend Luís Figo has publicly demanded that Fifa president Gianni Infantino resign, describing his scrapped scheme to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors as "the lowest, most deceitful and cravenly self-interested behaviour I have ever witnessed". The intervention adds a prominent former player's voice to a mounting wave of criticism engulfing Infantino, who abandoned the controversial proposal after fierce opposition led by Uefa, and now faces growing pressure over his leadership, including an emergency meeting with Fifa staff.

Figo, a Uefa football adviser since 2017 and winner of 127 caps for Portugal, wrote in the Daily Mail that Infantino had "debased" the presidency since taking charge in 2016 and accused him of failing to disclose that the private equity deal would reportedly have boosted his own salary to $30m a year. His comments follow accusations from Jordan Football Association president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein that Fifa used "blackmail" tactics over funding to secure support for Infantino's re-election, and a statement from Fifa's Arsène Wenger distancing himself from the withdrawn plan. Figo also cited Infantino's handling of disciplinary decisions and a Super Bowl-style half-time show controversy as further evidence he is unfit to lead world football.