# Ceferin Blasts Infantino’s World Cup Stake Sale Plan as ‘Worse Than Super League’ > By · Published 2026-08-24 · Updated 2026-08-24 > https://lesportifplus.com/en/2026/08/24/ceferin-blasts-infantinos-world-cup-stake-sale-plan-as-worse-than-super-league/ ## Summary UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has criticised FIFA's Gianni Infantino for reportedly trying to sell a stake in the World Cup, calling the plan "worse than the Super League." Ceferin urged Infantino to remember his European background, highlighting deepening tension between football's global and continental governing bodies over the tournament's commercial future. ## Key points - Ceferin compared Infantino's alleged World Cup stake sale plan unfavourably to the 2021 Super League breakaway. - Ceferin reminded Infantino of his European background despite now leading global governing body FIFA. - No official details on the proposed World Cup stake sale have been confirmed by FIFA. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has criticised [FIFA](https://lesportifplus.com/tag/fifa/) president [Gianni Infantino](https://lesportifplus.com/tag/gianni-infantino/) over reports he wants to sell a stake in the World Cup, describing the move as “worse than the Super League.” Ceferin argued that Infantino, despite leading global football’s governing body, should not forget his European roots and responsibilities. ## What did Ceferin say about Infantino’s World Cup plan? Ceferin accused Infantino of pursuing a scheme that could commercialise the World Cup in a way he considers even more damaging than the breakaway Super League that shook European football in 2021. The Super League, backed by a group of major clubs, was fiercely opposed by UEFA and fan groups alike, and Ceferin’s comparison signals just how seriously he views the potential sale of World Cup equity. > Selling off a piece of the World Cup is worse than the Super League ever was, Ceferin suggested. ## Why does this matter for European football? Ceferin’s remarks reflect long-running tension between UEFA and FIFA over the direction of the global game, particularly as FIFA expands competitions such as the Club World Cup and explores new revenue streams. By invoking the Super League — a project UEFA fought hard to defeat — Ceferin is framing Infantino’s plan as a similar threat to the traditional structures and values of football. The UEFA chief’s comments also serve as a pointed reminder that Infantino, a Swiss-Italian former UEFA general secretary, owes part of his football pedigree to Europe, even as he now presides over a worldwide organisation with competing interests across confederations. ## What happens next? No formal details have been confirmed about the scope or timeline of any potential sale of a World Cup stake, and FIFA has not publicly responded to Ceferin’s criticism. The dispute nonetheless underscores growing friction at the top of world football governance as commercial pressures continue to reshape the sport’s biggest tournaments. ## Source - [BBC Sport Football](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cp878rp71v2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) — BBC Sport Football ## Sources - [BBC Sport Football](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cp878rp71v2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss)