Fifa scraps controversial World Cup investment plan

August 1, 2026 No Comments

Fifa scraps controversial World Cup investment planImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Gianni Infantino has been the president of Fifa since February 2016ByJack Skelton, BBC Sport senior journalist and Simon StoneChief football news reporter

1 August 2026

Fifa president Gianni Infantino says he has scrapped the controversial plan to sell off stakes in the governing body’s major competitions, following widespread opposition.

Infantino stated it had become clear the project had “created divisions” that are “no longer in the interest” of its original objective.

The Swiss added: “As a result, this proposal will not proceed.”

Infantino had offered all 211 member associations $40m (£30m) if they backed a proposal for private investment in its tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.

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European football’s 55 member associations, Uefa, voted on Thursday to boycott World Cups if the plans went ahead.

Fifa’s chief operating officer Kevin Lamour stated the governing body’s own administration had been “deceived” about the project.

Carlos Cordeiro – Infantino’s senior adviser on global strategy and governance – resigned over the mater, saying the proposal was “a bad deal for football” and would “mortgage football’s future”.

That came after two other major confederations spoke out against the plans.

Concacaf, which governs football in North, Central America and the Caribbean – and hosted this summer’s World Cup – stated its members “rejected” the proposal, with sources saying the vast majority of associations from the region are losing, or have lost, faith in Infantino.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated it stood in “solidarity” with Uefa and Concacaf, while UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated Infantino was “the wrong man” to lead Fifa.

Infantino, 56, is now under immense pressure as he seeks re-election for a fourth term as president at the Fifa Congress in March.

He stated he now intends to “bring all interested parties back together” in the “spirit of shared interest” in football.

Infantino’s plans were unlikely to pass

Despite rejections from Uefa and Concacaf, Fifa initially vowed to continue with its proposals on Friday, saying “nobody is selling football”.

However, in announcing the plans had been scrapped, Infantino acknowledged he needed the backing of the majority of Fifa member associations – meaning 106 of its 211 members needed to vote in favour.

That became unlikely when the AFC joined Uefa and Concacaf in opposing the plans.

Uefa has 55 votes, Concacaf has 35 and Asia has 46.

If all member associations backed the stance of their governing body, that would have meant 136 nations voting against Infantino’s plan.

The governing bodies in Africa (CAF) and Oceania (OFC) had stated they would discuss Fifa’s plan in August.

The governing body overseeing football in South America, Conmebol, stated it had asked Fifa for “additional information and clarifications” regarding the “scope, structure, governance and possible effects” of the proposals.

What was Infantino’s plan?

Fifa and Infantino wanted to create a commercial subsidiary to run its main events, including its World Cups, with external investors able to buy stakes in it.

It stated it would “invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments” in a new subsidiary – Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE).

Infantino set a deadline of 19 September for football federations to accept his plans if they wanted to access an initial $20m (£15m).

A 25-page document created by investment bank JP Morgan laid out how Fifa’s tournaments would expand to hit an estimated increased payout of 24m euros (£20.5m) per member association in the 2035-2039 cycle.

It mentioned “new business initiatives” and “attracting top talent with incentive-driven compensation”.

The World Cup is described in it as the “most widely viewed” sporting event but Fifa, by contrast, is stated to be “under-monetised”.

There was no mention in the document of the women’s game.

Fifa stated Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE.

Thrive is an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared.

Trump – addressing the proposals for the first time on Friday – stated he had not spoken to Infantino about the plans.

The two have developed a close relationship since Trump assumed office for a second time in 2025.