FIFA’s World Cup rights sale plan unravels as key adviser quits and federations revolt

FIFA President Gianni Infantino wanted to sell a piece of the World Cup to private investors for $4.2 billion. The World Cup, in turn, appears to be selling him out. A key adviser has resigned and a growing coalition of member federations, led by UEFA, is pushing back hard against Infantino’s plan to commercialize the tournament through a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise. The proposal, announced on July 29, would offer a 20% equity stake in a new entity responsible for managing broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, and ticketing. The money, and the strings attached Here’s the pitch Infantino made to FIFA’s 211 member associations: approve the plan, and each federation gets an upfront payment of $20 million. That’s followed by annual payouts of $20 million to $24 million from 2027 through 2038. The lead investor positioned to take that 20% minority stake is Thrive Eternal, a firm led by Joshua Kushner. The total capital raise would hit $4.2 billion, funneled into an entity that would effectively control the commercial engine of global soccer’s crown jewel. UEFA has been the most vocal critic, publicly warning that the plan risks creating a fundamental rift in global socc...