FIFA President plans to sell stake in World Cup commercial rights - media

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly planning to sell a portion of the commercial rights associated with the World Cup and the Club World Cup, according to The Times. This move comes after the 2026 World Cup generated a record $15 billion for the International Football Federation.

Infantino is allegedly creating a new commercial structure, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which will oversee the management of rights for both the World Cup and the Club World Cup. Financial experts estimate that this new entity could be capitalized at up to $20 billion. The project aims to attract significant investment from private investors, with Thrive Capital, a fund associated with Josh Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner), reportedly among those considered.

J.P. Morgan, one of the world's largest banks, is serving as the financial advisor for this initiative. Infantino stated that the FFE, intended to be a subsidiary of FIFA, will help increase income for FIFA's 211 member associations and foster worldwide football development. He plans to offer each member association $20 million for approving the deal, with a warning that failure to gain approval could lead to a 75% reduction in funding for national federations, as reported by The Telegraph.

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The creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise, which is intended to become a subsidiary of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), will increase the income of FIFA's member associations and contribute to the development of football worldwide.