Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, has come out in full support of Gianni Infantino's decision to abandon plans that would have seen private investors acquire stakes in a company built around the FIFA World Cup.

Wenger described the reversal as "absolutely necessary and beyond question," offering some of the clearest backing yet from inside FIFA's hierarchy for the president's change of course.

The original proposal had sought to bring in private capital through a commercial vehicle tied to the World Cup — a move that drew significant scrutiny before Infantino ultimately stepped back from it.

Wenger's endorsement underlines the sensitivity surrounding any attempt to open football's most valuable property to outside financial interests. The World Cup remains the sport's single greatest revenue-generating event, and any structural shift in how its commercial rights are managed carries enormous implications for member associations and the broader game.

As the man charged with developing football globally at FIFA, Wenger's public alignment with the U-turn carries institutional weight. His comments suggest the organisation's leadership is now firmly united behind Infantino's revised position.