Fifa president would expect to bank millions as head of new company that would control tournament after his current term ends in 2031
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| Gianni Infantino is Fifa president until 2031 Credit: Eduardo Verdugo/AP |
Gianni Infantino, the president of Fifa, is plotting a World Cup sell-off to private investors.
Uefa, the European governing body of football and an increasingly vocal critic of Fifa, reacted with fury to a proposed £15bn deal, accusing it of trading the game’s “soul”.
Telegraph Sport understands Uefa is now considering its legal options over the biggest threat to football as it currently exists since the failed 2021 Super League plot. One source said a “nuclear bomb” had gone off in the game. The Football Association was said to be completely blindsided by the proposals.
The plan, announced nine days after the World Cup, would result in a group of investors controlling the commercial interests of Fifa’s top men’s and women’s competitions.
Thrive Capital – run by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – will lead the proposed investor group. Sources played down suggested involvement from the Trump administration in the plans.
Infantino has been heavily criticised for cosying up to Trump in the lead up to and during the 2026 World Cup, which culminated in the US president personally intervening to successfully get Folarin Balogun’s suspension overturned for the co-host’s last-16 match.
Saudi Arabia, who will host the 2034 World Cup, are highly likely to express interest in the company via their PIF sovereign wealth fund, and Qatar have maintained close ties to Infantino since winning the hosting rights of the 2022 World Cup.
JP Morgan, which was previously involved in the abandoned Super League plot, is Fifa’s financial adviser on the project.
Although there is no binding agreement on the plans, they increase the likelihood of an expanded World Cup or the tournament being held more regularly than every four years.
The move would also include the women’s World Cup and Club World Cup, which could both be played more frequently than the current four-year cycles.
One senior football figure said of Infantino: “He has definitely lost his mind. We will fight it fiercely.”
Another senior figure in European football told Telegraph Sport: “This is one man trying to make himself incredibly rich. Fifa doesn’t need the money, nor do the member associations as they have plenty from the World Cup.”
Fifa’s commercial rights spanning broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing would be privately owned under the plans.
‘None of us own football – it is not Fifa’s to sell’
Uefa said in a statement: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. Uefa takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa’s to sell."
Fifa, on Tuesday afternoon, said in a press release: “[it] intends to expand football development funding to over $10bn (£7.5bn), subject to approval by Fifa member associations.
“If approved, football development in every corner of the world would benefit immediately from increased funding available to all 211 Fifa member associations.”
A so-called Fifa forward enterprise (FFE) project which would consolidate all commercial and event operations “would raise up to $4.2bn later this year”, projections said.
The numbers are based on an initial equity valuation of $20bn (£15bn) “by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests in FFE”.
“All net benefits of FFE will be reinvested back into football worldwide,” the plan claimed.
Sepp Blatter, the former Fifa president, joined the backlash on Tuesday night. “The close relationship between the Fifa president and the US president has reached a financial dimension that is deeply damaging football,” he wrote on X. “No one has the right to sell our game.”
Infantino defends plans
Greg Maffei, the chief executive of Bann Ventures and formerly president and chief executive of Liberty Media during its acquisition and ownership of Formula One, has been a key commercial adviser and will remain involved, Telegraph Sport understands. Other advisers such as OpenEconomics are engaging with prospective long-term investors.
“The process is focused on assembling a geographically diversified investor group that reflects the global nature of Fifa and the game; expressions of interest to date include investors from across every major region of the world: Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa,” a Fifa press release said.
Infantino said: “Our next stage of growth needs a structure built for it, one where the commercial side of the game operates as a focused, dedicated business, with its value shared more and better all around the world. Every Fifa member association should have an opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own future, deciding for itself rather than relying on others. This is about the democratisation of football worldwide.”
Who would be chief beneficiaries?
If approved, Fifa would offer each of its 211 member associations “the opportunity” to access up to $20m “in one-off capital”.
“The process is focused on assembling a geographically diversified investor group that reflects the global nature of Fifa and the game; expressions of interest to date include investors from across every major region of the world: Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa,” a Fifa press release said.
Infantino said: “Our next stage of growth needs a structure built for it, one where the commercial side of the game operates as a focused, dedicated business, with its value shared more and better all around the world. Every Fifa member association should have an opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own future, deciding for itself rather than relying on others. This is about the democratisation of football worldwide.”
Who would be chief beneficiaries?
If approved, Fifa would offer each of its 211 member associations “the opportunity” to access up to $20m “in one-off capital”.
“Participation would be entirely voluntary, and no member association would be required to participate,” the details stipulated. “The additional funding would be financed through FFE’s planned initial capital raise of up to $4.2bn (£3.1bn).”
The Times and Financial Times were first to report the outline plans. Fifa has denied claims Infantino was being lined up to become chief executive of the new entity. He would expect to bank millions of pounds if he took up such a role.
“However, the Fifa president and the Fifa administration will and must have leading roles in this entity – if approved – to always be in control of any Fifa subsidiary in accordance with Fifa’s statutes and regulations for the benefit of Fifa member associations,” a statement added.
The governing body said that “Jared Kushner is not an investor” and also denied suggestions staff had signed non-disclosure agreements over the plans.
The move comes amid growing pressure on Infantino following a rant in which he defended the World Cup and his position as the head of world football.
On Monday, a Democrat attorney requested Infantino appear before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss the extent of his relationship with Trump. Representative Jamie Raskin, the senior member on the committee, also requested Fifa provide all of its records on its contacts with Trump, his administration and the Trump Organisation family business.
- Tom Morgan and Ben Rumsby
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