The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) officially rejected FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors on Thursday. This decision by the 41-member body follows a growing wave of international opposition, most notably from UEFA, which had previously threatened to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions to protest the plan.
The controversial project, which was revealed on Tuesday, involves FIFA spinning off its commercial operations into a new $20 billion subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). Under the proposal, private investors would acquire a 20% stake in the entity. The core investor identified for this project is Thrive Capital, a New York investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of President Trump.
In a formal statement, CONCACAF explained that its decision was rooted in a commitment to transparent governance and the long-term stewardship of the sport. The confederation noted that it has built its organization from the ground up over the last decade based on service and unity. The statement warned that history has demonstrated the negative outcomes when the custodians of the game lose sight of these fundamental values. Furthermore, CONCACAF questioned the necessity of seeking private equity to fund FIFA Forward programs, especially following what it described as the most profitable World Cup in history.
The political landscape within FIFA shifted significantly on Thursday as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also voiced strong concerns. In a letter to member federations, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who has been a key ally of Infantino since 2016, warned that FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the foundations of continental football. Sheikh Salman emphasized that such an initiative cannot succeed without the support of all confederations, which is currently lacking.
To secure support for the FFE plan, Infantino wrote to FIFA’s 211 member associations—who are the current owners of the nonprofit association under Swiss law—offering financial incentives. He promised that if the plan is approved, the basic funding for each member would double from $10 million to $20 million over the next four years. He further projected that total funding through 2038 would reach $86 million per member, compared to the current estimate of $36 million. Members have been given until mid-September to accept the proposal.
The dispute comes at a sensitive time for FIFA, with the Women’s Under-20 World Cup set to begin in Poland on September 5. Additionally, the decision for the host of the 2035 Women’s World Cup, for which the four British federations are the only bidders, is scheduled for November 23.
