FIFA President Gianni Infantino has informed the heads of the organization’s 211 member associations that they face a significant financial penalty if they do not support his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup. Member associations have been given a 53-day window to decide on the plan, which involves creating a new subsidiary named ‘Fifa Forward Enterprises (FFE)’ to manage the commercial rights and delivery of the World Cup alongside other major tournaments. This new entity would be open to external capital investment, with reports suggesting that Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, is set to spearhead the investment, potentially raising $4.2 billion.
In a letter to the member associations, Infantino outlined that the creation of the FFE would allow national federations to see their ‘Fifa Forward’ funding increase from approximately $8 million to $20 million for the 2027-2031 cycle. Furthermore, members who vote in favor of the proposal on September 19 would be eligible for a one-off $20 million payment. The correspondence explicitly warns that if the vote fails, funding for the 2027-2031 cycle will remain at $10 million, effectively resulting in a loss of $30 million for those who do not back the plan. FIFA has also indicated that future funding could rise to $24 million by the 2035-2038 cycle.
The proposal has faced strong opposition from UEFA, with officials accusing FIFA of attempting to sell the “soul” of the game. Sources indicate that senior European figures are currently discussing a potential boycott of the initiative. The Football Association (FA) expressed “deep concern” regarding the lack of process and governance, noting that they were blindsided by the proposal and lacked sufficient details on the conditions attached. An FA spokeswoman stated they were completely unaware of the proposal and would comment further once full and transparent details are shared. Similarly, Concacaf has voiced criticism of the plans.
Despite this, Infantino maintains support across various African, South American, and Asian federations. The proposal requires a majority vote of over 50 percent from the 211 member associations, as well as approval from the FIFA Council. Infantino, who is seeking reelection for the 2027-2031 cycle, has previously argued that such revenue-generating measures are essential for the development of football infrastructure, academies, and grassroots projects globally, asserting that without FIFA, the sport would not be viable in 150 countries. He has also explored the possibility of increasing the World Cup to 64 teams.
In other football news, World Cup champion Pedro Porro is being linked with a move to FC Bayern. Additionally, analysts are predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for. Meanwhile, the Premier League has issued a statement explaining why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty against Leeds, addressing a moment where the Spurs midfielder was denied a significant opportunity upon his return from injury.
In a letter to the member associations, seen by The Independent, Infantino has promised that national federations would benefit from an increase of its ‘Fifa Forward’ funding from around $8m to $20m for the upcoming four-year cycle between 2027 and 2031 if the new FFE subsidiary is created.
The member associations were also informed, via Fifa’s press release, that they could expect further increases in future cycles, rising to $24m by 2035 to 2038. Thrive Eternal, led Joshua Kushner, the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, are set to lead the new investment, which Fifa said co
