As much as FIFA stood to make on Infantino's ill-fated World Cup selloff, the backlash would cost even more

If Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a 20 per cent stake in the World Cup was a surprise, the scheme’s rapid collapse is the opposite of a shock.

To recap, the FIFA boss didn’t even tell his deputies that he had secured a tentative deal with a private equity firm named Thrive, under which the investors would send the soccer governing body $4.2 billion (all figures US) in exchange for part ownership of the world’s biggest sports event. They found out a week ago, the way the rest of us did, either via a smart phone alert or coming across the development on their sports news website of their choice. In response to the arrangement, FIFA adviser Carlos Cordeiro quit his job.

Infantino, who took charge of FIFA in 2016, could always recruit new executives, but he couldn’t get UEFA on board with the private equity deal. The confederation, which comprises 55 nations, vowed to boycott future FIFA events. Other objectors included CONCACAF, home to Canada, Mexico and the U.S.,  and the Asian football confederation, together which total 98 nations. Those major blocs joined soccer commentators and everyday fans in making plain their disgust at the proposed sell-off.

Late last Friday, there went Infantino, backing down from his plan, and now scrambling to keep his job while disgruntled FIFA member federations look to unseat him.

FIFA scraps plans to sell World Cup stakes after fierce backlash

The eventual flip-flop wasn’t predictable because the arc of the sport’s industry’s moral universe curves toward justice, but because it always bends in the direction of money. If the idea of serving fans and federations can’t prompt FIFA to do the right thing, the prospect of losing a fortune is a powerful reality check.

We don’t know exactly how