FIFA President Gianni Infantino had unveiled a bold scheme to monetize the organization’s future World Cup earnings by offering a 20 percent stake to private investors, among them Thrive Eternal, a venture backed by Joshua Kushner, the brother‑in‑law of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The initiative, which would have created a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee broadcasting, sponsorship and hospitality deals, promised to double the cash allocated to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations, raising the per‑association payment from $10 million to $20 million and potentially to $24 million by 2038.
But the plan quickly unraveled under a barrage of criticism. European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, declared it would boycott all FIFA competitions unless Infantino abandoned the proposal, arguing that private investors would demand a greater share of the tournament’s schedule and revenue.
Within days, Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino’s senior adviser, resigned, calling the arrangement a misstep, while FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour issued a public statement to The Associated Press denouncing the scheme as a threat to the sport’s integrity.
Even Donald Trump, who had recently appeared alongside Infantino at the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey, denied any direct discussion of the deal, a denial that underscored the isolation of the proposal’s architects.
The collapse of a visionary plan
The episode also highlighted the deep divisions within world soccer, as federations in Africa and South America, including CONMEBOL, expressed cautious scrutiny while traditional allies in Europe and North America withdrew support.
Speculation about potential successors such as Nasser al‑Khelaïfi and Victor Montagliani began to circulate, raising questions about the future direction of FIFA’s leadership.
The failed proposal serves as a cautionary tale for sports federations that attempt to blend commercial ambition with the stewardship of a global cultural institution.