Infantino Abandons Sale of World Cup Stake After Boycott Threat
The FIFA Forward Enterprise project collapsed amid strong opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, with the crisis seriously threatening Infantino's fourth term.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise project collapsed amid strong opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, with the crisis seriously threatening Infantino's fourth term.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Friday that the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which proposed selling a minority stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup to private investors, has been abandoned. The decision came after three major continental confederations threatened a boycott, as reported by Index.hr.
"After listening to all parties, it became clear that we do not have the necessary level of support. Our purpose will always be to unite and improve. Therefore, we will not proceed with the project," Infantino said in a statement carried by Index.hr. According to Al Jazeera English, Infantino added in the same statement that "the project created divisions of such a nature that, regardless of the level of support, they are no longer in the interest of the originally set goal."
According to Stijena.info, all 55 European associations within UEFA voted on Thursday to boycott future World Cups if the plan were implemented. The resistance was not limited to Europe.
CONCACAF, the organization governing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, which hosted the World Cup this summer, stated that its members reject the proposal. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF.
Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior advisor for global strategy and governance, resigned. Cordeiro called the plan "a bad deal for football" and warned that it would "mortgage the future of football," according to Stijena.info.
The project involved establishing a subsidiary to manage the commercial side of FIFA's competitions, including the sale of TV rights, sponsorships, and tickets. According to Al Jazeera English, FIFA planned to raise $4.2 billion from investors who would buy about a 20 percent stake in that company, based on a valuation of $20 billion. The "lead investor" was to be the fund Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is the son-in-law of Donald Trump.
Each of FIFA's 211 member associations was offered $20 million, with a deadline to accept by September 19. In a letter seen by The Times and carried by Index.hr, Infantino stated that accepting the plan would activate a package of €8.7 billion starting January 1, 2027. "If you want to maintain the status quo and reject this proposal, we still have the planned expansion of the Forward program of €2.4 billion," he said at the time. National associations had about 50 days to decide. Currently, members already receive $10 million each over the next four years, and under the FFE plan, that amount would rise to $22 million by 2034 and $24 million by 2038, according to Al Jazeera English.
FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour stated that the administration itself was "deceived" regarding the project, as reported by Stijena.info. Apart from Cordeiro, no one else in the top leadership has announced resignation, but pressure on the 56-year-old Infantino is mounting. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that Infantino is "the wrong man" to lead the organization.
Al Jazeera English recalls that just a few weeks ago, Infantino was handing out medals alongside Donald Trump at the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium, and now his position is shaky. He intends to run for a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027. Although about 200 member associations have written letters supporting his candidacy, according to Al Jazeera, the current crisis makes that support uncertain.
Index.hr reminds that Infantino was already under fire during the World Cup. U.S. President Donald Trump called for a review of the red card given to U.S. national team striker Folarin Balogun. The suspension was lifted shortly after Trump's call, and it was later revealed that the decision to allow him to play was made solely by the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, Mohamed Al Kamali. The Norwegian Football Federation announced it would file a formal complaint with FIFA's ethics committee.
Infantino announced that in the coming days he will try to bring all interested parties together "in a spirit of common interest." However, the consequences of the failed plan are already serious. The threat of a European boycott, although withdrawn along with the project, has shown how much trust in FIFA's leadership has been shaken.
