Infantino's World Cup Stake Sale Plan Faces Collapse

Gianni Infantino's ambitious plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to private interests is reportedly heading for the scrapheap, leaving his credibility in tatters and his position as FIFA president under threat. The FIFA president began the week with a defiant defense of the 2026 World Cup against critics he accused of spreading "hate and false rumours."

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Sorry you were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all.

The turbulence began with revelations in The London Times detailing Infantino's scheme to transfer the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments into a subsidiary company. Up to 20 percent of this entity would be sold to private investors, with a group called Thrive Capital, led by Joshua Kushner, reportedly set to lead this investor group. FIFA stated that Infantino's role as commissioner of the new venture had not been discussed, but acknowledged that "the FIFA president and FIFA administration will and must have leading roles in this entity – if approved."

This bombshell prompted FIFA's global governing body to scramble for control of the narrative. Infantino penned a five-page letter to the presidents of FIFA's 211 member associations, touting the financial benefits of the private-equity plan. He presented a choice between a new total funding package of $10 billion (€8.68 billion) or the current $2.7 billion. Members were given a September 19th deadline to approve the proposals to receive a $20 million bonus payment starting January 1st next year.

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the FIFA president and FIFA administration will and must have leading roles in this entity – if approved.

However, the path forward remains unclear. The proposals require a majority vote from all members, but no date for a vote has been set. When questioned by The Irish Times, a FIFA spokesperson could not confirm whether the expressions of interest by September 19th would constitute a formal vote, nor could they explain the necessity of the deadline. Meanwhile, FIFA continued pitching the idea, sending a presentation deck to members that highlighted the organization's perceived "undermonetisation" compared to major leagues like the NFL, which generates significantly more revenue per fan.

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undermonetised