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Why are we talking about the World Cup again?

Selling a stake in Fifa competitions is proving as controversial as hydration breaks.

It鈥檚 less than two weeks after Spain won the men鈥檚 World Cup, but suddenly the tournament is back in the headlines. This time it鈥檚 because of a plan from Fifa鈥檚 President Gianni Infantino to sell a stake in their tournaments to private investors. Infantino says it鈥檚 a chance to 鈥渢urbocharge鈥 the development of the game - and national associations have been offered millions of dollars if they agree to the plans.

It鈥檚 fair to say the plans haven鈥檛 gone down well with everyone - with European鈥檚 governing body Uefa saying their members won鈥檛 go to any World Cups (men鈥檚 or women鈥檚) if the plans go through.

We talk to 麻豆社 Sport鈥檚 Isaac Fanin (fresh from a month at the World Cup) about what the plans are, what the response has been and what might happen next.

NB: We recorded this episode on Friday morning and it鈥檚 all changing so fast we have to keep rewriting this description鈥

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producer: Emma-Louise Amanshia
Editor: Verity Wilde

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12 minutes

Last on

Sat 1 Aug 2026 02:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Fri 31 Jul 2026 17:50GMT
  • Sat 1 Aug 2026 02:50GMT

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