FIFA are looking to sell a stake in their competitions, including the World Cup, to the highest bidder.
In Gianni Infantino’s latest hairbrained scheme, private equity firms in the United States – as well as wealthy benefactors in the Gulf – will be free to make offers and own a share in the World Cup, the Club World Cup and the governing body’s other tournaments.
The move has prompted an outcry, with critics slamming Infantino as he looks to sell the very soul of football.
In theory, the stance will dramatically weaken the Swiss’s hopes of being re-elected as FIFA president in March 2027.
But, in this increasingly bizarre world of political machinations in football, Infantino will no doubt attempt to spin the latest furore in his own favour.
The Man Who Sold the World (Cup)
In theory, FIFA is a non-profit organisation.
But Infantino’s love of cold, hard cash – evident in his antics at the 2026 World Cup, which allowed dynamic ticket prices, commercial hydration breaks and even a half-time show during the final – is steering the governing body in a new and unedifying direction.
A spokesperson for FIFA has rejected the criticism, claiming that ‘nobody is selling football’… despite unveiling plans to, erm, sell football in July 2026.
They plan to create a subsidiary company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), that would be tasked with running its tournaments commercially. Investors would be able to buy minority stakes in FFE, in a move that could generate as much as £7.5 billion for the organisation.
FIFA has even claimed that ‘incorrect media reports’ have cast the scheme in an inaccurate light, before vowing to ‘proceed with the consultation process.’
“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation,” a press statement read.
“Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”
For the motion to pass, Infantino will need more than half of member nations – that’s 106 or more of 211 – to vote in favour. As it stands, UEFA and CONCACAF have signalled their intent to vote against… they make up 96 of that group.
But if you like your bribery clear and transparent, FIFA have reportedly offered members that vote in favour of the plans £30 million in additional funding. If they approve the scheme before September 19, they will receive an initial bounty of £15 million in January.
For some governing bodies of world football, that’s mere loose change. For others, it’s funding that will make a considerable difference to their operations – hence why they may be softened to vote in favour of Infantino’s charade.
Will UEFA Boycott the World Cup?
Can you imagine a World Cup without Spain, France, England, Germany and other major European nations?
That has become a distinct possibility after UEFA confirmed that it will boycott the World Cup if the plans get the green light.
That would leave FIFA in an embarrassing situation: at the 2030 edition, the defending champions and co-hosts Spain might not even take part.
It’s traditional for the heads of each continental global body to attend the World Cup final. But UEFA’s president, Aleksander Ceferin, boycotted the final in 2026 in protest at the handling of the tournament, with Donald Trump’s interference in the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s red card said to be the last straw.
A spokesperson for UEFA was scathing in their rebuttal of the plot.
“Having held discussions with many stakeholders across the game, UEFA knows there is significant and growing opposition to FIFA’s scheme,” they commented.
“FIFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends. We can grow the game correctly.”
UEFA makes up 55 of the 211 member associations, but it is far and away the most powerful. Without them, a World Cup becomes farcical – Infantino could simply not deliver the commercial value to investors in FFE that he has promised.
After all, would you invest in a tournament in which most of the sport’s biggest stars are at home on the sofa watching?
CONCACAF, the governing body of football in North and Central America, has publicly ‘rejected’ the proposal – although they have stopped short of declaring an outright boycott.
“We are deeply concerned by the lack of due process,” their media release reads.
“We share the disappointment of many within our region and the game that this level of detail has been designed and shared publicly before any discussion with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders has taken place.”
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has been more neutral in their response, however they have warned that ‘initiatives of this scale and consequence must be founded upon the principles of good governance, transparency and meaningful consultation.’
It’s thought likely that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and CONMEBOL (South America) will be more amenable to Infantino’s scheme.
Will Infantino Be Forced Out?
Although a man evidently lacking in self-awareness, Gianni Infantino will do everything in his power to slither through his Emperor’s New Clothes moment.
He is surprisingly well backed by many within world football, who recognise his ability and appetite for monetising the sport and feeding money back into the member jurisdictions.
Infantino also expanded the World Cup to 48 teams, allowing more to qualify for the tournament – some of the ‘lesser’ nations will forever be grateful to the Swiss for that.
The FIFA chief has friends in high places, too. If the sell-off is approved, it has been reported that the governing body will team up with Thrive Eternal to get FFE off the ground.
Thrive Eternal is an American private equity firm. It was founded by Josh Kushner, who also happens to be the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared. It’s funny how these coincidences keep following Infantino and Trump around.
Infantino created the FIFA Peace Prize and handed it to Trump. He opened a FIFA satellite office in Trump Tower. The Club World Cup trophy was originally housed at the White House.
Move on… nothing to see here.
When even Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president who was banned from the role after being charged with corruption, is calling you out you know things aren’t going well.
“The close relationship between the FIFA president and the US president has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football. No-one has the right to sell our game,” Blatter commented.
Sky News has reported that Infantino ‘cannot survive this latest controversy’, with support for the Swiss apparently running out.
But a gecko can always grow a new tail, as the old proverb goes…
