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FIFA's plan to sell stakes in $20bn World Cup business sparks UEFA fury: ‘Football’s soul is not an asset to trade'
FIFA's plan to sell stakes in a $20bn World Cup business has triggered UEFA fury, with critics warning that football's soul is being put up for sale worldwide.
UEFA is accelerating plans to convene an emergency meeting of its 55 member associations this week as European football considers measures, including a potential World Cup boycott, to oppose FIFA’s proposed $20 billion commercial venture.
The virtual meeting is now considered “highly likely” to take place before the end of the week, with strong opposition growing within UEFA to FIFA’s plan to sell minority stakes in FIFA Forward Enterprise, a newly created body that would control the commercial and event operations of its competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
FIFA plans to raise up to $4.2 billion from outside investors based on an initial $20 billion valuation of the subsidiary. It is working with multinational financial services firm J.P. Morgan on the proposal.
Potential investors include Thrive Eternal, launched by Joshua Kushner, whose brother Jared Kushner is US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
UEFA responded furiously to the announcement, saying FIFA’s proposal “crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross”.
UEFA considers reviving World Cup boycott threat
A boycott would represent UEFA’s strongest available weapon against FIFA. European associations used a similar threat in 2021, when FIFA was forced to abandon its proposal to stage the World Cup every two years.
The possibility of deploying the same deterrent against FIFA’s latest commercial plan is expected to be discussed during the emergency meeting.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” UEFA said.
“None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also condemned the proposal, declaring that “football does not belong to investors”.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, however, described the project as an attempt to “unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has” and insisted it would help spread wealth across the global game.
“This is about the democratisation of football worldwide,” Infantino said.
FIFA has attempted to win support from its 211 member associations by outlining substantially increased development payments through its proposed FIFA Fast-Forward Programme.
Also Read: World Cup is not FIFA's to sell': UEFA erupts over Gianni Infantino's private investment plans
Under the plan, each federation could receive $20 million during the 2031-34 commercial cycle, followed by $22 million and $24 million in the next two cycles. FIFA currently promises each association $8 million through the 2027-30 cycle.
The organisation generated record World Cup revenue of approximately $12 billion from the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which featured unprecedented ticket and hospitality prices.
FIFA said it would retain sole control of the new subsidiary and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions. Member associations would also be allowed to decide whether they wanted to participate in the new financial opportunities.
No timetable has yet been announced for the proposal to be debated or approved by FIFA’s ruling council and member associations. FIFA’s next scheduled online congress will be held on November 23 to confirm the hosts of the 2031 and 2035 Women’s World Cups.
