FIFA president Gianni Infantino has abandoned a contentious proposal to sell a $20 billion stake in the organization’s World Cup commercial revenues to private‑equity investors, a move that would have given a New York‑based firm tied to the Kushner family a 20 percent share.
A Plan That Collapsed
The scheme, which would have spun off FIFA’s broadcasting, sponsorship and hospitality businesses into a separate subsidiary, was presented as a way to fund the governing body’s growth but quickly ran into resistance from the sport’s continental confederations.
Opposition From Football’s Continental Bodies
European governing body UEFA, together with its North and Central American and Caribbean counterparts at CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation, issued a joint statement on July 30, 2024, declaring that they would boycott any World Cup or other FIFA competition if the sale proceeded.
The statement underscored that "some things are simply too important to sell," emphasizing that the World Cup belongs to the global football community and is not a commodity for private investors.
FIFA’s chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, later revealed that staff had been misled about the openness of the plan, while Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser and a former Goldman Sachs banker, resigned on July 31, citing his opposition to the privatization effort.
The proposed subsidiary would have placed roughly 20 percent of its equity in the hands of investors led by a New York firm linked to Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, and other private‑equity partners. The remainder would have remained under FIFA’s control.
Threats to Upcoming Tournaments
The Women’s Under‑20 World Cup scheduled for September 5 in Poland was threatened with a boycott by UEFA members if the sale went ahead, adding pressure on Infantino’s administration.
Leadership Implications
Infantino, who was re‑elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023, now faces the first real test of his leadership as the next presidential election looms. The vote is set for November 18, 2024, in Rabat, Morocco, with the deadline for candidacy falling on the same day.
While the private‑equity initiative has been shelved, the episode has exposed deep fissures within world football’s power structure and raised questions about the future direction of FIFA’s commercial strategy.
Looking Ahead
For now, FIFA will continue to rely on its traditional revenue streams, and the organization’s next steps will be closely watched by sponsors, broadcasters and fans alike.