FIFA's plan to sell minority stake in World Cup to private investors triggers UEFA boycott threat

The plan revealed

On 28 July 2026, The Times and the Financial Times reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino is advancing a plan to create a new commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The company would take over management of all commercial rights for FIFA's top tournaments: the men's World Cup, the Women's World Cup, and the Club World Cup. FIFA would retain majority control but sell a minority stake of 20 to 30 percent to private investors, aiming to raise about $4.2 billion. The overall valuation of the new company is estimated at $20 billion. The plan had not been discussed with member federations beforehand; many learned of it through the press. It was also absent from recent meetings in New York ahead of the Club World Cup final.

Financial structure and key investors

Under the proposal, each of FIFA's 211 member federations would receive a small equity stake worth roughly $20 million, with the option to hold or sell it. FIFA is also promising increased annual grants and an additional $10 billion in development funding over time. The lead investor is expected to be Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner and son-in-law of US president Donald Trump, through his fund Thrive Eternal. Investment bank JPMorgan Chase is also involved. Infantino himself would become CEO of the new company after his FIFA presidency ends in 2031, with compensation that could approach the $64 million annual pay of the NFL commissioner, roughly ten times his current salary.

UEFA's furious reaction

UEFA issued a sharp statement within hours of the revelations, declaring that the proposals had crossed the line. The European governing body stressed that no single organization owns football and called on federations, leagues, clubs, players, fans, and governments to oppose the move, especially given the lack of transparency about who would benefit financially. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin had already skipped the Club World Cup final in protest over a series of governance disputes with FIFA, including the handling of the Folarin Balogun case. The fact that the plan was kept from UEFA members until it appeared in the media deepened the anger.

The proposals crossed the line.

No organization owns football.

Boycott threat and next steps

According to Sky Sports News and other outlets, several European federations are prepared to use the threat of a World Cup boycott as leverage. An emergency teleconference of UEFA's member associations is expected within days to coordinate a common response. The first tournament that could be affected is a future World Cup, though no specific edition has been named. The boycott option is described as an extreme measure, but it reflects the depth of the rift. UEFA officials argue that allowing private capital into the ownership structure of the sport's flagship event would fundamentally alter its character and governance.

Infantino's defense

Gianni Infantino has publicly defended the initiative, describing it as a democratization of world football that would unlock greater commercial value and channel more resources to member federations. He insists that FIFA will retain full control and that investors would hold non-controlling, minority stakes with no dividends from tournament revenues, profiting only through a later sale of their shares. The plan requires approval from a majority of the 211 member federations, and FIFA is counting on the promised financial incentives to secure the necessary votes. The coming days will test whether UEFA's threat of a boycott can derail a project that Infantino has placed at the center of his legacy.