World soccer’s governing body is poised to spin off a $20 billion subsidiary that would control the quadrennial World Cup and a suite of other competitions, a maneuver that opens the door to external investors holding as much as a 20 % stake.
The initiative, championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, is presented as a way to inject fresh capital into the organization’s 211 member associations, with an immediate $20 million allocation and the promise of comparable grants in each subsequent four‑year cycle.
European football’s elite clubs have already shown the scale of the financial gap, generating €4.4 billion from premier competitions in the 2024/25 season alone, a figure that underscores why FIFA believes the sport’s monetary centre must be moved away from Europe.
A Contentious Vision
Critics argue that the plan threatens the sport’s cultural fabric; UEFA has labelled the proposal as putting the game’s “soul” up for sale, while La Liga president Javier Tebas has gone further, accusing FIFA of “destroying” football.
The financial restructuring is not a new battle for FIFA. Decades earlier, former president João Havelange expanded the tournament to include more nations from Africa, Asia and Latin America, a shift that reshaped global participation.
Infantino’s current vision extends that legacy, as he contemplates a 64‑team World Cup for the 2030 centenary edition and seeks majority support among member associations to push a private‑equity agenda.
Eric Windholz, a senior adviser, has suggested the scheme could be especially attractive to countries in the global south, where the infusion of capital might accelerate development programs.
If realized, the subsidiary would not only reshape revenue distribution but also redefine the balance of power between world soccer’s governing federation and its European strongholds.