Infantino Abandons Controversial FIFA Stake Sale
FIFA President Gianni Infantino called off a proposal to sell a 20% stake in the governing body after a wave of opposition from soccer’s continental confederations.
The plan, which would have valued FIFA at roughly $20 billion, was first reported by The New York Post before the organization’s official announcement on Friday night.
Under the scheme, FIFA members were slated to receive up to $40 million each, a payout backed by a firm linked to venture‑capitalist Joshua Kushner, whose brother‑in‑law Jared Kushner is the son‑in‑law of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
European football’s governing body UEFA, together with its 55 member associations, warned that they would boycott both the men’s and women’s World Cup if the deal moved forward.
Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation also voiced their opposition, joining a growing coalition of dissent.
Former U.S. Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro stepped down from Infantino’s advisory circle amid the controversy, further isolating the FIFA chief.
FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour later admitted that senior staff felt ‘deceived’ by the lack of transparency surrounding the proposal.
Deadline and Accusations of a ‘Bribe’
Infantino set a September 19 deadline for the 211 member associations to endorse the arrangement, framing the $40 million payouts as a reward for support. Critics quickly labeled the move a ‘bribe with a deadline,’ arguing that conditional payments undermined the sport’s integrity.
The proposal threatened to upend more than a century of football tradition and risked plunging global governance into chaos, according to analysts who warned of a potential split in the sport’s governance structure.
Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term in an upcoming election, acknowledged that the Forward Enterprise initiative had created deep divisions and would no longer be pursued in its current form.
The fallout has already strained relationships with key confederations and could influence voter sentiment in the forthcoming FIFA election, making the president’s re‑election bid far from certain.