Real Madrid have lauded UEFA for protecting football after FIFA abandoned plans to sell a 20% stake in a World Cup company to private investors. The proposal, championed by President Gianni Infantino, faced opposition from three confederations and was ultimately dropped, dealing a significant setback to the Swiss official.

UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions and intensified pressure on Infantino, declaring he had "lost the confidence" of European football’s governing body. The club praised the decision as "good news for football, for its institutions and, above all, for the millions of fans of our beloved sport." Real Madrid thanked UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation for their united stand.

Infantino had sought approval for FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee commercial and operational aspects of its competitions. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling the plan a "bad deal for football." FIFA COO Kevin Lamour said the administration had been "deceived" about the project.

Real Madrid reminded that clubs are the foundation of national team football and the World Cup, stressing that these events belong to nations, fans and society, not to be treated as mere financial assets.