01/08/2026

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SATURDAY | AUG 1, 2026

Malaysian Paper

2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Siti Aqilah silver shocker National women’s weightlifter Siti Aqilah Farhan Draman in action in the women’s over 86kg category at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Armadillo yesterday. Aqilah won the silver medal with a total lift of 253kg. – BERNAMAPIC

MEDAL TALLY G S B

Ttl

COUNTRY 1. Australia 2. England 3. Canada 4. Scotland 5. Nigeria

51 15 15 10

24 30 13

38 113

21 18 10

66 46 27 16 23 12 21

7 5 9 3 9 2

8 6 6

3 8 3 7 2 4

6. South Africa

- Story on page 31

7. Malaysia

8. New Zealand 5

9. Jamaica

4 3

8

10. India

10

17

’Enough is enough’ Fifa’s World Cup plan sparks boycott threat as crisis deepens

F IFA’S controversial plan to open the com mercial rights of the World Cup to private investors plunged deeper into crisis on Friday after Uefa’s member associations agreed in principle to boycott Fifa competitions if the governing body presses ahead with the pro posal. The unprecedented standoff marks the biggest governance crisis in world football since the failed European Super League, with growing opposition not only to the proposal itself but also to the leadership of Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Fifa sought to calm the escalating backlash on Friday, insisting no decision had been made and promising an “open and democratic” consultation with its 211 member associations. “Nobody is selling football,” Fifa said in a statement. “This is not something Fifa would ever entertain.” The governing body added that it had listened to concerns raised by confederations, including Uefa and Concacaf, and would continue consultations after claiming media reports had disrupted the intended process. “We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” the statement said. “Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each member association has the ability to express its vote based on facts.” At the centre of the controversy is Fifa Forward

Critics argue the promise of millions of dollars in immediate funding could sway smaller and financially struggling associations to support a proposal with significant long-term consequences for the sport. Some football executives have warned that once private equity gains a foothold in football’s biggest competitions, commercial interests could increasingly influence decisions on the international calendar, tournament formats and broadcasting rights. The controversy has also placed Infantino’s own future under scrutiny. Having comfortably consolidated power since succeeding Sepp Blatter in 2016, the Swiss-Italian now faces the strongest public opposition of his presidency. Several reports indicate football’s powerbrokers have already begun discussing potential challengers ahead of the next Fifa presidential election, with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi among the names being mentioned. For now, Fifa insists the consultation process will continue and that member associations will ultimately decide the proposal’s fate. But with Europe’s governing body threatening an unprecedented boycott and criticism spreading beyond the continent, football’s governing institutions appear headed for a confrontation that could reshape the governance of the global game for years to come. – The Independent/AFP

body proceed with the privatisation plan. The threat extends beyond the men’s World Cup to all Fifa competitions, including the expanded Club World Cup, potentially undermining the very commercial assets Fifa hopes to monetise. Several senior football officials reportedly questioned Infantino’s leadership during the meeting, with some describing his style as “dictatorship behaviour” and accusing him of bypassing established governance procedures. England Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who also serves as a Fifa vice-president, reportedly criticised governance under Infantino, while Wales became the first association to openly raise the possibility of a boycott. The opposition reflects growing unease over a process many believe lacked transparency. Reports suggest the proposal had been developed largely in secret for more than a year, with even senior figures within Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation allegedly unaware of the plans until details emerged publicly. Questions are also being raised about the identities of potential investors and whether the project has links to financial interests connected to United States President Donald Trump’s circle, although Fifa has not confirmed any prospective partners. The proposal has also reignited criticism of Fifa’s political structure, where each of its 211 member associations carries one vote regardless of size.

Enterprise (FFE), a proposed commercial subsidiary that would manage the commercial rights to the World Cup and other Fifa competitions while allowing minority stakes to be sold to private investors. Fifa believes the venture could be valued at US$20 billion (RM84b) and raise as much as US$4.2 billion (RM17.6b). Under the proposal, every member association would receive a one off US$20 million (RM84m) payment in early 2027, while funding under the Fifa Forward programme for the 2027-2030 cycle would increase from US$8 million (RM34m) to US$20 million. Infantino has argued the proposal would unlock previously untapped commercial value and channel more money into football development around the world. However, critics argue the financial incentives amount to little more than vote-buying and fear the move would permanently hand outside investors influence over football’s most valuable competitions. Those fears erupted during Uefa’s emergency meeting yesterday, where member associations rallied behind a united position against the proposal. According to multiple reports, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin opened the meeting with a blunt message: “Enough is enough.” While no formal vote was taken, there was broad consensus that European nations would boycott Fifa competitions should the governing

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