Why has Infantino scrapped FIFA’s World Cup investment plan? What to know

What the report says

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has abandoned a proposal to bring private investment into the governing body’s World Cup and event-related business after a strong backlash from across global football, Al Jazeera reported on 1 August 2026. The plan had drawn opposition from European federations, FIFA officials, and others who argued it risked shifting the sport’s priorities toward investor returns.

According to the article, the idea would have created a new FIFA subsidiary to manage commercial activities linked to tournaments such as the World Cup, including broadcasting, sponsorship, tickets and hospitality. FIFA had discussed raising about $4.2bn by selling roughly a 20% stake in that entity. The project was also tied to an investment group led by Joshua Kushner. FIFA said its member federations could have received larger annual payments under the structure, but critics questioned the strategy and the lack of wider consultation.

The resistance intensified in recent days. UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead, while some senior figures inside FIFA publicly distanced themselves from it. Infantino said the proposal had created divisions that were no longer in the interest of the original goal, and he scrapped it on Friday.

The reversal matters because it exposes a rare and significant challenge to Infantino’s authority ahead of the next FIFA presidential election. Al Jazeera noted that questions now remain over his political support within the 211-member organization and whether the fallout could affect his future leadership.