FIFA shelves plan to sell World Cup stake after fierce backlash

FIFA has shelved a controversial proposal to sell a minority stake in the World Cup following fierce, coordinated resistance from across the global football community, according to reports published on August 1, 2026. The plan had aimed to raise billions of dollars through an external entity, but collapsed after regional governing bodies threatened widespread boycotts and internal dissent erupted at the highest levels of world football.

FIFA Forward Enterprise Proposal and Targeted Funding

The initiative was designed to create a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), intended to manage the World Cup alongside FIFA's other competitions. To finance the venture, FIFA sought to sell around a 20 percent stake in the new entity, aiming to raise up to $4.2 billion. According to FIFA, the capital raised was intended to fund football development worldwide.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino introduced the proposal on Tuesday, writing directly to member associations with an incentive attached. Under the terms offered by Infantino, individual member associations were promised $40 million each if they approved the proposal by September 19. FIFA also pointed to Thrive Eternal—a fund managed by Thrive Capital and founded by Joshua Kushner—as the expected leader of the proposed investor group.

Unanimous Regional Opposition and Internal Resignations

Despite the financial incentives, opposition mounted swiftly. On Thursday, the 55 member associations of European football's governing body, UEFA, voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA tournaments unless the proposal was withdrawn, stating that the World Cup "cannot be treated as an investment product." UEFA officials accused the world governing body of putting the sport's "soul" up for sale. On the same day, CONCACAF, the 41-member confederation representing North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, also rejected the proposal during a meeting.

Resistance grew on Friday, when the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which has 47 member associations, issued a statement saying it "stands in solidarity" with UEFA and CONCACAF. Together, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC account for 143 of FIFA's 211 member associations, effectively sealing the fate of a proposal that required majority approval.

Cracks also formed within FIFA itself. On Friday, Infantino's senior adviser, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned with immediate effect, calling the proposal "a bad deal for football." Concurrently, FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour criticised the plan, saying staff had been "deceived" by Infantino and describing it as "the project of one person."

Infantino Retracts the Project Amid Political Fallout

Faced with mounting pushback, Infantino and FIFA changed their stance.

"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,"

Gianni Infantino

Infantino stated, adding, "Our purpose has always been - and will always be - to unite and improve. As a result, this proposal will not proceed."

While FIFA argued that selling a minority stake in its commercial operations would generate billions of dollars to fund football development worldwide, and accused the media of mischaracterising the proposal, the developments could prove politically damaging for Infantino. As he seeks re-election next year, North American football chief Victor Montagliani is reportedly considering challenging him for the presidency. Meanwhile, although Joshua Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Trump stated that he had not discussed the external investment proposal with Infantino.