Infantino’s FIFA World Cup stakes plan: Would UEFA boycott, would it work?

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that FIFA is facing strong opposition after unveiling a proposal to bring private investment into future World Cups and other events through a new commercial subsidiary. The plan, announced on Tuesday, would create FIFA Forward Enterprise, valued at about $20bn, with FIFA retaining majority control while selling minority stakes to outside investors to raise up to $4.2bn.

According to the report, FIFA says governance, competition rules, calendars and sporting decisions would remain under its authority, and that net benefits would be reinvested into football worldwide. The proposed investor group would be led by Thrive Eternal, a United States venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has framed the move as a way to ensure football’s commercial growth supports development across the global game.

The proposal has drawn criticism from UEFA, which said football’s governance and identity should not be treated as tradable assets, and from the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, who argued that the World Cup belongs to fans rather than investors. Al Jazeera also reported that CONCACAF said it had not been informed of the equity-sale proposal and was concerned about due process.

Any change would require approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations, including 55 under UEFA. Al Jazeera noted that UEFA planned an emergency meeting and that a boycott of FIFA competitions was among possible responses if the plan advanced. The dispute follows earlier criticism around the 2026 World Cup, including concerns over ticket affordability and governance controversies.