FIFA President Gianni Infantino has abandoned a controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary that would have run the World Cup and other major tournaments.
Infantino said the project had “created divisions” that were “no longer in the interest” of its original goal. “As a result, this proposal will not proceed,” he stated.
The plan, unveiled earlier this week, sought to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee commercial and event operations for competitions including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. FIFA would have retained majority control while offering up to around 20 percent to external investors, aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion based on a $20 billion valuation. Proceeds were to fund expanded development payments, with each of the 211 member associations offered up to $40 million if they backed the scheme by a September 19 deadline.
Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Eternal fund was expected to lead the investor group. The proposal drew immediate and fierce resistance.
UEFA’s 55 member associations voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA competitions unless it was abandoned, declaring that “the World Cup is not for sale.”
CONCACAF’s 41 members rejected the plan, citing concerns over due process and the short deadline, while the Asian Football Confederation expressed solidarity with the critics.
A senior adviser to Infantino resigned in protest, and internal FIFA staff voiced dissatisfaction. FIFA had initially insisted “nobody is selling football” and pledged to continue consultations, but the scale of opposition from major confederations made majority approval unlikely.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016 and faces re-election next March, framed the original idea as a way to unlock commercial value for the benefit of member associations. The rapid reversal ends one of the most contentious episodes in recent FIFA history and leaves questions over the governing body’s future leadership and commercial strategy.
