In a sweeping restructuring of its flagship events, FIFA has announced that it will consider selling up to a 20% equity stake in the World Cup and related competitions to private investors, targeting as much as $4.2bn in capital.
A controversial commercial model
The transaction would be executed through a newly created subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, valued at roughly $20bn. The move is framed as a way to fund global development programmes and to broaden access to football in underserved regions.
European football's governing body, UEFA, has reacted sharply, warning that the "soul and governance of football should not be traded" and describing the proposal as an existential threat to the sport's integrity.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the plan, stating that the revenue would be reinvested to support "sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world" and to modernise the organisation's financial base.
The United Kingdom's prime minister, Andy Burnham, added his voice to the criticism, insisting that the World Cup is not a commodity to be sold on the open market and warning of the broader implications for public ownership of sporting events.
According to sources familiar with the initiative, the investor consortium is expected to be anchored by a vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, whose brother-in-law Jared Kushner previously held a senior advisory role in the Trump administration.
The proposal still requires approval from FIFA's 211 member associations, a process that could span several months and will likely involve intense lobbying from both supporters and opponents.
If ratified, the deal would mark a watershed moment for global football governance, potentially reshaping how the sport's premier tournament is financed and administered for decades to come.