In the span of a single week, FIFA's attempt to invite private capital into the governance of world football collapsed under the weight of its own secrecy. President Gianni Infantino unveiled a $4.2 billion plan to sell a stake in World Cup operations, only to withdraw it days later as UEFA threatened boycotts, senior officials resigned, and continental confederations questioned the organization's very soul. The episode reveals a recurring tension in global sport: the pull between commercial ambition and the democratic legitimacy that gives such institutions their meaning. What was designed to
FIFA scraps $4.2bn World Cup investment plan after global backlash
A project of one person, not an organization.
Mark
Why did FIFA think this plan would work? It seems obvious that selling a stake in the World Cup would provoke exactly this kind of reaction.
Mimi
The proposal was announced on a Tuesday with no prior consultation. That's the key detail. Infantino didn't build consensus first—he announced it and expected the organization to fall in line. That's not how FIFA actually works, even though Infantino has significant power.
Mark
So it was a governance failure, not just a bad idea?
Mimi
Both. But the governance failure is what made it fatal. If he'd brought UEFA, the continental confederations, and his own senior staff into the room months earlier, they might have shaped it into something different. Instead, people found out about it the same way the public did.
Mark
What about the Trump connection? Does that explain why he pushed so hard?
Mimi
It's hard to say what motivated Infantino privately. But the fact that Joshua Kushner was lined up to lead the investment fund, and that Trump had already called Infantino about a red card decision—that created a narrative that Infantino was serving American interests, not football's. Whether that's fair or not, it poisoned the well.
Mark
Is Infantino actually in danger of losing his job?
Mimi
He's not going to be removed before the March election. But he's no longer the presumed winner. Sheikh Salman and Victor Montagliani are both potential challengers now. A month ago, that would have seemed unlikely. The proposal changed the entire political landscape.
Mark
What does FIFA actually need the money for?
Mimi
That was never clearly explained. That's another reason people reacted so badly. You're asking the world's most powerful sports organization to sell a piece of its crown jewel, and you don't make a compelling case for why. It looked like Infantino wanted to enrich himself or his allies, not like FIFA needed the capital for something essential.
O Pulso
- A $4.2 billion plan to sell 20% of World Cup operations was unveiled Tuesday and abandoned by Friday — one of the fastest institutional collapses in FIFA's modern history.
- UEFA called the proposal 'irresponsible and indefensible,' threatening a full competition boycott, while even Infantino's traditional allies in the Asian Football Confederation demanded urgent governance reform.
- The fractures ran deepest inside FIFA itself: a senior adviser resigned calling it 'a bad deal for football,' and the Chief Operating Officer said staff had been 'deceived' by a plan driven by one person.
- The involvement of Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital — and its proximity to the Trump political orbit — added a layer of reputational damage that no statement could fully contain.
- Infantino's retreat was total but measured, framed in the language of unity, yet the political cost is real: a near-certain fourth term now faces credible challengers with a November declaration deadline approaching.
In the span of a single week, FIFA's attempt to invite private capital into the governance of world football collapsed under the weight of its own secrecy. President Gianni Infantino unveiled a $4.2 billion plan to sell a stake in World Cup operations, only to withdraw it days later as UEFA threatened boycotts, senior officials resigned, and continental confederations questioned the organization's very soul. The episode reveals a recurring tension in global sport: the pull between commercial ambition and the democratic legitimacy that gives such institutions their meaning. What was designed to strengthen FIFA's financial future has instead opened a wound in its political one.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveiled a proposal on Tuesday to sell a 20 percent stake in a new unit that would operate the World Cup and other major FIFA events, aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion and valuing the enterprise at $20 billion. By Friday evening, the plan was gone.
The opposition was immediate and came from every corner of the football world. UEFA voted to boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal advanced, condemning it as conceived in secret and accusing FIFA of putting the sport's soul up for sale. The Asian Football Confederation — long a reliable ally of Infantino — called for an urgent review of FIFA's governance, saying the episode had exposed fundamental weaknesses in how decisions were being made.
The damage inside FIFA was equally severe. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling it a bad deal for football. Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said staff had been deceived and described the initiative as the project of one person — a pointed indictment of how the plan had bypassed institutional process entirely.
The proposed investment was to be led by Joshua Kushner of Thrive Capital, whose family ties to the Trump administration deepened questions about the plan's origins. Though Trump denied speaking with Infantino about the scheme, the association compounded an already fragile moment for the FIFA president, who had separately faced scrutiny over a red card suspension that was reversed following a Trump phone call during the 2026 World Cup.
In his withdrawal statement, Infantino acknowledged the divisions the proposal had created and said the project would not proceed, invoking FIFA's purpose to unite and improve. The language was careful; the retreat was complete.
What had appeared to be a straightforward path to a fourth presidential term — buoyed by a widely praised 2026 World Cup — now looks considerably less certain. Sheikh Salman of the AFC, who narrowly lost to Infantino in 2016, called the plan totally unacceptable. Victor Montagliani of North American football has been linked to a potential challenge. Candidates must declare by November 18. A coronation has become a contest.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a plan to sell a 20 percent stake in a new unit that would operate the World Cup and other FIFA events, expecting to raise up to $4.2 billion and valuing the enterprise at $20 billion. The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday, was meant to bring private capital into world football's governing body. By Friday evening, it was dead.
The backlash came swiftly and from every direction. UEFA, European football's governing body, voted to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan moved forward, calling it "irresponsible and indefensible" that a proposal of such magnitude had been "conceived in secret." The organization accused FIFA of putting the sport's "soul" up for sale. Other continental confederations followed with statements of their own. The Asian Football Confederation, long a key ally of Infantino's, recommended an urgent review of FIFA's governance and decision-making processes, saying the proposal had "exposed fundamental weaknesses" in how the organization operated.
Inside FIFA itself, the plan fractured support. Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior adviser, resigned immediately, declaring it "a bad deal for football." Kevin Lamour, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer, said staff had been "deceived" by Infantino and described the initiative as "a project of one person." The criticism was not abstract—it was personal and institutional, suggesting the plan had been driven from the top without proper consultation or buy-in from the organization's own leadership.
The investment was expected to be led by Joshua Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital, through a fund called Thrive Eternal. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. The connection raised questions about the plan's origins and motivations, particularly given that Infantino had already faced scrutiny over his relationship with Trump. Trump had called Infantino about a red card shown to U.S. player Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup, which was subsequently suspended, allowing the forward to play in the next match. On Friday, Trump said he had not spoken with Infantino about the FIFA investment scheme, though the damage to Infantino's credibility had already been done.
By late Friday evening, Infantino issued a statement acknowledging the divisions the proposal had created. "Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place," he said. "Our purpose has always been – and will always be – to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed." The language was measured, but the retreat was total.
The collapse of the plan raises immediate questions about Infantino's future. The 56-year-old Swiss-born leader of Italian descent was expected to run unopposed for a fourth term as FIFA president in elections scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco. The recent World Cup, cohosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, had been widely considered a success, positioning him for an easy re-election. That calculation has now shifted. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation and a narrow loser to Infantino in the 2016 FIFA presidential election, called the investment plan "totally unacceptable" and criticized FIFA's "unilateral actions." Victor Montagliani, who leads North American football, has been linked with a potential challenge to Infantino's presidency. The deadline for candidates to declare their intention to run is November 18. What was meant to be a coronation now looks like a contest.
Citações Notáveis
Irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret.— UEFA statement
A bad deal for football.— Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior adviser, upon resigning
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