FIFA chief's plan to commercialize World Cup rights abandoned after European federation opposition
Gianni Infantino's proposal to spin off World Cup commercial rights into a for-profit entity and sell a stake to an investment group led by Joshua Kushner was withdrawn within two days following strong resistance from UEFA and other regional bodies.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA's president, announced a plan to create a for-profit company that would hold the commercial rights to the World Cup and sell a large share to an investment consortium headed by Joshua Kushner, the brother of former White House adviser Jared Kushner. The proposal was presented without consulting the sport's regional federations.
Within 48 hours, the plan was abandoned after UEFA, the governing body for European football, declared that none of its 55 national associations would take part in FIFA competitions until the scheme was dropped. UEFA's stance was quickly echoed by CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America and the Caribbean, and other regional confederations, effectively halting the initiative.
The proposal had drawn criticism for its potential to commercialize a traditionally nonprofit sport and for offering each of FIFA's 211 member federations an immediate cash infusion of $40 million, with additional annual payments. While such funding could be significant for smaller federations, the plan raised concerns about the influence of private equity on the sport's governance.
Infantino's attempt follows previous controversies surrounding ticket pricing, commercial breaks during matches, and high-profile halftime entertainment at the 2026 World Cup. The swift rejection by UEFA and other bodies suggests that the proposal lacked broad support within the global football community.