Fifa Global Football Development Chief Arsene Wenger considers the decision on elimination of private investments in Fifa events absolutely necessary.
Infantino had offered $40m (£30m) to Fifa’s 211 member associations if they supported plans for private investment in its tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Uefa, the governing body of European football, voted to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead, and other governing bodies also expressed their opposition.
Wenger has been in his position where he is responsible for the data analysis of the game, online training, and youth competitions of Fifa since 2019.
Previously, Wenger had backed Infantino’s plans to conduct the men’s World Cup every two years.
In the week following Infantino’s announcement of his investment plans, Wenger made an appeal through Fifa demanding “transparency and integrity
“The recent events at Fifa deserve some clarity from my side,” Wenger’s statement read.
“I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports.
“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent Fifa that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”
Wenger is among 18 Fifa executives listed in the letter from Uefa demanding the preservation of documents in the wake of its threat to file legal suit against the body.
Carlos Cordeiro – senior adviser to Infantino on global strategy and governance – is the sole Fifa executive to have resigned over the affair, calling the proposal “a bad deal for football” that would “mortgage football’s future”.
