FIFA president Gianni Infantino has reportedly set a deadline for Member Associations to get behind his plan to set up a private company to run competitions including the World Cup.
FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) will be worth $20 billion, with $4 billion available to outside investors. Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is understood to be the lead investor.
Infantino’s relationship with Trump was a stain on this summer’s World Cup and makes his brazen scheme to convert every last scrap of football’s flagship into profit is made all the more problematic.
Infantino’s letter to FIFA Member Associations
UEFA, football’s European confederation, seldom misses an opportunity to pick a fight with FIFA. In a statement issued on Tuesday, it pointed out that Infantino’s plan ‘crosses a line’ and that the World Cup is not Infantino’s to sell.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade - especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” said UEFA, whose member nations are understood to be considering a World Cup boycott in response.
A World Cup without UEFA participation would be worthless but Infantino’s financial leverage at the federation level is a genuine threat to football’s global integrity.
The continued presidency of the FIFA boss has the backing of more than 200 Member Associations, with entire blocs motivated by boosted revenue and the growth of the men’s World Cup.
In a letter to football associations reported by Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris, Infantino has given Member Associations a deadline of September 19 to back the scheme, with $40 million not-so-subtly on offer for those that do.
“Mr Infantino warned they would have much less cash for development, grassroots football and national teams if they didn't support his plan,” reports Sky News.
“He said the launch of FFE needed the backing of its ruling council and more than 50% of its members.
“In his letter, the [Swiss] called it a "singular and unique funding opportunity only for those Member Associations who wish to participate, with their decision to be made by 19 September 2026 so we can plan ahead and with funds to be available immediately as of 1 January 2027.’”
England’s FA was among the first country-level governing bodies to speak out against Infantino’s forceful proposal but there are supportive voices even within UEFA. The president of the Czech FA has backed the plan.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has condemned the sell-off, rightly saying that the World Cup and football are not Infantino’s to sell. Football does not belong to FIFA. FIFA and the World Cup do not belong to Infantino.
Calls for Member Associations and regional confederations to take meaningful action against the FIFA president’s plan are gathering pace but the chances of thwarting him without razing the World Cup to the ground appear minimal.
“FIFA has not commented on how much Mr Infantino stands to benefit financially from delivering the $20bn venture,” reports Sky News.
