FIFA plan for Kushner-backed $20 billion operation to run World Cup meets fury from Europe’s UEFA
The plan would sell minority stakes in a new subsidiary, with UEFA warning that football’s governance and commercial rights are not assets to trade.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino officially presented a controversial proposal to create "FIFA Forward Enterprise," a new subsidiary valued at $20 billion designed to manage the commercial operations of the World Cup, with plans to raise $4.2 billion by selling minority stakes to private investors.
- European football’s governing body UEFA sharply condemned the move in an official statement, declaring that "it is not FIFA's to sell" and warning that monetizing global football governance through private capital crosses an unacceptable institutional line.
- Supported by financial advisors like J.P. Morgan, the project reportedly involves high-profile private equity firms including Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal, while Infantino seeks to win over FIFA's 211 national member associations by offering them one-off capital payouts of up to $20 million each.
- While Infantino defends the initiative as a step toward "democratizing" football development funding worldwide, critics and rival officials argue that the arrangement lacks transparency and could serve to secure his long-term executive influence over the tournament beyond his presidential term.
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It will create a new and controversial society to raise external capital, in which will participate also a relative of Donald Trump
Fifa President Gianni Infantino wants to bring investors into the game for the rights to World Cup tournaments. That calls for critics to the plan.
World Cup: 'Crossing the line' - UEFA reacts as Infantino's moves to hand FIFA to private company
UEFA has reacted strongly to a report indicating that FIFA President Gianni Infantino is considering selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors, a move that could potentially generate tens of millions of pounds for him. On Tuesday, FIFA announced in a press release its intention to increase funding for football development to over $10 billion, pending approval from FIFA Member Associations. The football governing body asserted that thi…
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[your]NEWSFIFA proposes to sell minority stake in World Cup
FIFA announced plans Tuesday to create a new commercial subsidiary that will run its main events and will be available for external investors to buy a minority stake in.
UEFA slams FIFA's proposed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup
The new initiative is the second time Infantino has attempted to privatise football assets, with the first being in 2018 where the FIFA chief proposed a multi-billion dollar project to create more global competitions, funded by private investors.
FIFA's plan to sell private investors a stake in its competition rights has sparked an open conflict with UEFA. The European forum claims that the initiative "sells the soul of football", while FIFA claims that the funds obtained will be reinvested in global football development.
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