The United States Soccer Federation has become the first major national association to openly reject FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to auction off World Cup hosting rights for a reported $20 billion.
The proposal, which would hand over lucrative commercial control of the tournament to private investors, has drawn sharp criticism from a coalition of confederations including UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC, all of which argue that the World Cup should remain a sporting rather than a financial transaction.
While the White House has voiced its backing for Infantino, citing his success in securing the 2026 World Cup for the United States, U.S. Soccer says its priority lies in forcing governance reforms at FIFA rather than staging a boycott of the competition.
Former president Donald Trump later claimed he was unaware of the share‑sale scheme, even as his son‑in‑law Joshua Kushner’s venture firm Thrive Eternal had been linked to an investor group that might have funded the deal.
A Divided Front
European football’s governing bodies have signaled a willingness to boycott any tournament that results from such a sale, contrasting with the United States’ emphasis on structural change.
The dispute underscores a broader tension between commercial expansion and the traditional governance model of world football, a tension that will likely shape the sport’s future as the 2026 tournament approaches.