FIFA is seeking approval from its 211 member associations to place the commercial operations of its major competitions within a new £15bn company and sell up to 21 per cent of it to private investors. The sale could raise £3.2bn, with each association offered a stake worth about £15m. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called it a game-changing opportunity, but critics describe it as a sell-out.
Secrecy and Commercialisation Concerns
UEFA has warned that the soul and governance of football are not assets to trade and that it is not FIFA's to sell. The proposal was developed with zero transparency, according to UEFA, and Asian and North American football bodies said they were not consulted. Critics point to the recent World Cup in Qatar, where hydration breaks stopped matches for six minutes regardless of temperature, providing opportunities to sell advertising, and the first-ever half-time show at the final, which mimicked the Super Bowl. These are seen as evidence of a growing commercialisation that prioritises sponsors over the sport.
Links to Trump Circle
The expected lead investor is Thrive Eternal, a company established by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law and former senior White House adviser. While there is no suggestion of unlawful activity, the connection deepens unease about Infantino's relationship with Trump. Infantino has rented offices in Trump Tower, invented a peace prize and awarded the first one to Trump, and appeared alongside Trump at the World Cup final trophy presentation, where both were booed.
Congressional Scrutiny
US Congressman Jamie Raskin, the leading Democrat on the House judiciary committee, has demanded documents on gifts and payments involving Trump. He has called for Infantino to face Congress and accused FIFA of becoming Trump's favourite racketeering enterprise in world sports. In response, Infantino has accused critics of spreading hate and false narratives.
Future of the World Cup
Infantino insists FIFA would remain in control, but opponents argue that once parts of the World Cup are sold, investors will demand more games, more interruptions and higher ticket prices. They say the plan represents the slow conversion of the greatest competition in sport into a branded content platform. Infantino promised to clean up FIFA, but now risks being remembered as the man who tried to sell the World Cup. He remains in power partly because smaller nations, sustained by FIFA development funding, continue to back him.
