FIFA Gianni Infantino halts World Cup stake venture after backlash

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on Friday that the governing body will abandon the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan to sell private stakes in the World Cup, citing strong opposition from Member Associations and other stakeholders across the global football community.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise project was introduced as a framework to strengthen FIFA Member Associations and develop the sport worldwide, with particular emphasis on nations where support is most needed. It aimed to channel private capital into the World Cup to generate additional resources for grassroots programmes.

Implementation of the venture would have required majority backing from Member Associations and a formal consultation process involving the FIFA Council, the six Confederations and other stakeholders. Without such consensus, the plan could not have moved forward.

In the statement released on Friday, FIFA said the proposal will not proceed after strong opposition from member organisations and other stakeholders. The body cited the divisions created by the plan as making it untenable despite any existing backing.

UEFA threatens FIFA boycott over World Cup stake sale

Earlier reports this week revealed that the scheme involved selling private investment stakes in the World Cup, with venture‑capital firm Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, listed among interested parties. The prospect of commercialising the tournament’s ownership sparked immediate outrage across the football community.

Half of the confederations – UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC – rejected the plan outright, with UEFA stating it would boycott future events. These bodies argued that such commercialisation threatened the tournament’s integrity.

CONMEBOL, CAF and OFC later said they would confer with their member nations before deciding on any action, underscoring the widespread concern among global football authorities. Their cautious stance highlighted the depth of opposition to the proposal.

FIFA drops controversial World Cup rights sale amid European outcry

FIFA issued a clarification on Thursday confirming the proposed company would be called FIFA Forward Enterprises and reiterated that the initiative would not proceed following the feedback received. The clarification reaffirmed FIFA’s commitment to preserving the World Cup’s traditional governance.

The organization noted that the story will be updated as further information becomes available and that developments will be tracked as the situation evolves. Stakeholders will continue to monitor the impact of the decision on future financing models for the sport.