Fifa scraps proposal to sell off stakes in World Cup after widespread backlash

 

Fifa scraps proposal to sell off stakes in World Cup after widespread backlash

FIFA has officially scrapped its highly controversial proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Following an intense and rapid global backlash that included unprecedented boycott threats from major football confederations and high-level internal resignations, FIFA President Gianni Infantino released a statement confirming that the project "will not proceed" due to the massive divisions it created across the sport.

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The Scrapped Proposal

The financial gambit, unveiled just days prior, aimed to capitalize on FIFA’s tournaments through a new commercial setup:

• New Subsidiary: FIFA planned to launch FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage the commercial and operational rights of flagship tournaments like the World Cup and Club World Cup.
• Private Valuation: The subsidiary was valued at $20 billion, with FIFA looking to sell a 20% minority stake.
• Target Funding: The sale aimed to raise up to $4.2 billion to fund global football development.
• Member Payouts: Infantino offered a guaranteed $40 million windfall to each of FIFA's 211 member associations if they voted to approve the plan by September 19. [1, 2]
• Investor Group: Thrive Eternal, an investment fund led by Joshua Kushner (founder of Thrive Capital and brother of Jared Kushner), was slated to head the private equity group.

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Key Driver of the Backlash

Opposition to the commercialization of soccer's premier tournament snowballed immediately across continents and from within FIFA's own ranks:

1. Continental Rejections & Defiance

• UEFA Boycott: The Union of European Football Associations voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA competitions—including the World Cup—stating that the tournament "cannot be treated as an investment product" and accusing FIFA of putting the sport's "soul" up for sale.
• CONCACAF & AFC Opposition: North America’s CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) roundly rejected the proposal. Together with UEFA, they control 143 of the 211 FIFA member associations, effectively killing any chance for the plan to pass a majority vote.

2. Internal Revolts & Resignations

• Advisor Resignation: Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior advisor and key representative on the World Cup task force, resigned in protest, calling the proposal "a bad deal for football".
• Executive Backlash: FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour publicly broke ranks, stating that staff were "deceived" and explicitly labeling the plan a "project of one person".

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What's Next for FIFA

The swift and stunning U-turn leaves Gianni Infantino facing severe scrutiny over his governance style and long-term leadership.

• Presidential Fallout: While Infantino was previously expected to run unopposed for re-election, football chiefs are now openly questioning his transparency. Reports indicate that North American football chief Victor Montagliani may challenge Infantino for the presidency.
• Upcoming Tournaments: With the investment plan entirely discarded, international focus shifts back to traditional operational frameworks ahead of upcoming events, including the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland and the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.