The global football governing body has decided to cancel its plan to offer a minority stake in the World Cup to private investors. This move follows widespread resistance from member nations and internal dissent within FIFA itself. FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced the withdrawal of the proposal on Friday evening after it failed to gain support from a majority of member associations.
The plan would have seen FIFA sell around 20% of a new entity that would oversee World Cup events and other competitions. The idea was initially introduced to raise funds for global football development, with the aim of generating billions of dollars. However, it quickly drew sharp criticism from football leaders across the globe.
UEFA threatened to pull its teams out of FIFA tournaments if the plan moved forward. The European football body said that selling off the soul of football was unacceptable. Infantino stated that after reviewing all feedback, the project had created divisions too deep to resolve.
He emphasized that FIFA’s goal has always been to bring people together and improve the sport. The plan involved forming a $20 billion subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise to manage competitions. Joshua Kushner, a major investor and the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was reportedly chosen to lead the investment group.
The Trump administration had close ties with Infantino, as the U.S. was set to host the 2026 World Cup. However, President Trump said he had not discussed the investment proposal with Infantino. Opposition to the idea grew rapidly throughout the week.
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football also rejected the idea. The Asian Football Confederation joined in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF. Together, these three confederations represent more than 140 of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
Even within FIFA, there was growing criticism of the initiative. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned from his post, calling the deal a bad move for football. FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour accused Infantino of deceiving the organization.
Lamour said the initiative was not a shared project of FIFA but rather one person’s vision. He added that staff were misled and the leadership lacked transparency. The controversy has led to increased pressure on Infantino, who is up for re-election next year.
Several national football associations have expressed their concerns about the way the process unfolded. The Dutch football association said the situation had broken trust in FIFA’s leadership. They called it a victory for football but warned that more changes are needed.
The Swedish Football Association also welcomed the decision not to proceed. Several investors reportedly pulled out due to concerns about damage to their brand image. Kushner’s group was said to be no longer interested in the deal.
Infantino had offered member associations $40 million each if they approved the proposal by a set deadline. He said he hopes to bring all parties back together for future cooperation in football development. The decision marks a significant moment for FIFA as it faces scrutiny over its governance and direction.
It also highlights the deep divisions within football’s leadership over how to manage commercial interests.
IMAGE: Gianni Infantino during UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying play-offs draw, that took place in Sheraton Hotel in Cracow.. Photo: Piotr Drabik / Wikimedia, taken 2011-10-13, CC BY 2.0