Like the European Super League project before it, FIFA’s attempt to monetise football on an unprecedented level did not survive exposure to the court of public opinion.
It took a matter of days before the clubs involved in the ESL project were exposed to the full backlash from supporters, commentators, pundits and politicians.
Similarly FIFA president Gianni Infantino was forced to concede defeat in his proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup to private investors when it became clear that he did not have the votes to carry it.
But that does not mean either idea has gone away. The ESL project continues to exist, even if Real Madrid remain the only major club associated with it. Similarly although the proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup will now be put on the back burner, it is unlikely to be discarded altogether.
Whilst Infantino may not see it come to fruition during his time in office, his successor may be tempted to resurrect it someday, but this time having built support for the proposal first.
When it comes to squeezing even more money out of football, the genie is now out of the bottle, and it will be almost impossible to get it back in again.
