FIFA sets September deadline for member vote on $20 million private-equity offer
FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave member federations until Sept. 19 to accept a one-time $20 million payment linked to a proposal that would sell a 20% stake in a new FIFA subsidiary to private investors, prompting strong opposition from UEFA and other continental bodies.
Geneva – FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the 211 national federations must decide by Sept. 19 whether to accept a one-off $20 million payment as part of a plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary in which private investors would hold a 20 % stake. The subsidiary would manage FIFA competitions, including future World Cups and Club World Cups, and the offer is presented as a “singular and unique funding opportunity.”
The proposal, backed by Joshua Kushner’s Thrive Capital and financed through J.P. Morgan, was disclosed in a letter to members that also outlined a larger commercial cycle tied to the men’s 2030 World Cup. Federations that approve the plan would receive $20 million, while those that reject it would receive the previously promised $10 million over four years.
UEFA, representing 55 European federations, called an emergency online meeting to discuss the plan and issued a statement that “having held discussions with many stakeholders across the game, UEFA knows there is significant and growing opposition to FIFA’s scheme.” The organization warned that the rushed deadline could lead to a boycott of FIFA competitions, recalling a similar dispute in 2021.
Continental confederations also expressed concerns. CONCACAF said it was “deeply concerned by the lack of due process,” and the Asian Football Confederation described the proposal as “disappointing” because it reached the public domain before its members could review it. The European Football Clubs group noted that it learned of the plan “without warning and through the media.”
British football officials joined the criticism. In a video message, Andy Burnham, former mayor of Manchester, said, “Football does not belong to investors… Once you have sold a piece of the World Cup, you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans.”
If approved, the subsidiary would bring a pool of international investors alongside Thrive Capital, with J.P. Morgan leading the process. If rejected, federations would receive the lower funding amount previously promised. The vote will take place under FIFA’s one-member-one-vote system, where smaller federations can outvote larger football nations.
Infantino, who is expected to run for a fourth term as FIFA president, has positioned the funding offer as a key element of his leadership agenda, while opponents argue it threatens the sport’s governance and commercial independence.