A proposal that never took off
FIFA President Gianni Infantino abandoned a plan to sell a 20% stake in future World Cup profits to private investors, a list that included Thrive Eternal, the investment vehicle led by Joshua Kushner. The scheme, dubbed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was designed to raise $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation and would have distributed $20 million to each member federation, doubling the current $10 million allocation.
The proposal quickly ran into a wall of opposition. UEFA issued a stark warning, threatening to boycott FIFA competitions unless the plan was dropped, while European soccer bodies and senior FIFA executives voiced strong reservations. Even Donald Trump, whose family’s business interests intersected with the proposal, publicly denied any prior knowledge of the arrangement.
Critics warned that the deal could upset the delicate balance of global soccer, potentially forcing clubs to play more matches and accept commercial demands that might erode revenues from competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. The backlash was not limited to Europe; CONMEBOL, under FIFA vice‑president Alejandro Dominguez, said it would evaluate the proposal with "rigor," while Infantino’s traditional support base in Africa remained silent.
Implications for Infantino’s future
The collapse of the FFE plan has left Gianni Infantino’s bid for a third term hanging in the balance. Senior advisers have resigned, and FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, issued a public critique of the project. With the candidacy deadline set for November 18 and the election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco, potential challengers such as Nasser al‑Khelaïfi of Paris Saint‑Germain and Victor Montagliani of the Canadian Soccer Association are now eyeing the vacuum.
Infantino had hoped the deal would secure his influence beyond 2031 and pave the way for a commissioner‑style role with a significantly higher salary. Instead, the episode has amplified scrutiny of his leadership style and raised questions about the governance of world soccer’s governing body.