FIFA's $20bn World Cup sale plan with Kushner ties sparks UEFA fury and boycott threat

The $20 billion plan

FIFA announced on Tuesday the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a subsidiary that would bundle commercial rights for the men's World Cup, women's World Cup, and Club World Cup. The entity is valued at $20 billion, with FIFA planning to sell up to 20% to external investors, raising up to $4.2 billion later this year. J.P. Morgan is advising, and Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump), is leading the investor search. Greg Maffei, chief executive of BANN Ventures and formerly president and chief executive of Liberty Media, is a commercial adviser. FIFA says annual funding to each member association could more than double, from $8 million to $20 million a year. Separately, each of the 211 members would have the chance to take a one-off $20 million stake in FFE, about 0.1% of the entity. Infantino called it "the democratization of football worldwide."

UEFA's furious response

UEFA, representing 55 European members, immediately condemned the plan. In a statement, it said:

This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross.

UEFA added: "The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade -- especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell." The body said it took the reports "extremely seriously" and urged every national association to do the same. Hans-Joachim Watzke, DFB vice-president and UEFA official, called the plan a frontal attack on football and noted remarkable unity among European stakeholders after talks with UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin. Europe's sporting weight, with six quarterfinalists and three semifinalists at the recent 48-team World Cup, was cited as a potential lever.

Political ties and potential investigations

The involvement of the Kushner family deepens the already close relationship between Infantino and Trump, which drew scrutiny during the just-concluded men's World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Die Welt reported that Thrive Capital aims to attract international sovereign wealth funds. With Infantino facing re-election in March, and U.S. midterm elections on 3 November, a Democratic House majority could expand investigations into Infantino's ties to Trump. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, has already demanded a list of gifts to Trump, communications with the Justice Department, and visitor logs for FIFA's Miami headquarters and Trump Tower office. A person involved in high-level football governance told Die Welt:

That would be the perfect storm scenario in the FIFA world. I believe they will find someone to run against him.

Boycott threat and emergency meeting

Multiple outlets, including Sky, ESPN, and Bloomberg, reported that UEFA is planning an emergency virtual meeting with its 55 members this week to formulate a unified response. The Independent said the meeting would discuss a "nuclear option" of a World Cup boycott. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also weighed in, posting:

Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands... The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone's to sell. Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out.

What happens next

FIFA's plan requires approval from a majority of its 211 member associations. Infantino is expected to use the promise of increased funding to secure votes, but the fierce European opposition could sway others. Critics warn that private investors would demand more commercialisation, potentially leading to more advertising, sponsored halftime shows, and further expansion of tournaments. The Berliner Zeitung noted that Infantino has already floated expanding the World Cup to 64 teams, and a biennial cycle could follow. The emergency meeting this week may determine whether Europe's threat of a boycott gains traction.