Football's world governing body abandons plans to sell off stakes in its major competitions after widespread opposition to president Gianni Infantino's proposal.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he has scrapped the controversial plan to sell off stakes in the governing body's major competitions, following widespread opposition. Infantino said it had become clear the project had "created divisions" that are "no longer in the interest" of its original objective. Infantino had offered all 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups. Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president, welcomed the withdrawal of the plan. "The future of global football must always be shaped through proper consultation, collective dialogue and respect for the established governance structures of our game," said Shaikh Salman. European football's 55 member associations, Uefa, voted on Thursday to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead. Fifa's chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said the governing body's own administration had been "deceived" about the project. Carlos Cordeiro - Infantino's senior adviser on global strategy and governance - resigned over the matter, saying the proposal was "a bad deal for football" and would "mortgage football's future".