UEFA rejects FIFA’s plan for a US$20 billion World Cup fund
UEFA expressed its disapproval of a FIFA project that aims to sell shares of the World Cup to private investors. The European entity considered the initiative “a limit that the institutions that govern football should never exceed”, reinforcing that the competition “does not belong to FIFA”, on July 28, 2026.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino had revealed the initiative to establish a company valued at 20 billion dollars (equivalent to approximately 102 billion reais) to manage the World Cup, attracting private capital.
The creation of a new entity, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), with the aim of managing tournaments such as the World Cup and the Club World Cup, was widely publicized by international press outlets.
In an official note, FIFA explained that the FFE would mobilize up to 4.2 billion dollars this year, intended to finance development initiatives. The organization projected an initial capital of 20 billion dollars for the company, seeking long-term investors who would hold minority and non-controlling stakes.
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FIFA confirmed that JP Morgan bank is its financial partner in this project. Potential investors include Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, whose brother, Jared Kushner, has family ties to United States President Donald Trump.
The global football tournament, which had recently concluded, reinforced the political and personal connections between Trump and Infantino, raising concerns about this closeness, especially on the part of UEFA.
Also according to FIFA, the FFE would remain under its ownership and would have the function of centralizing commercial and event operations.
If the proposal goes ahead, the management of the World Cup could pass to an external company, unrelated to FIFA, which is currently a non-profit organization that oversees world football.
However, FIFA and Infantino face vigorous opposition from UEFA. The European football confederation released a position opposing the project.
In its statement, UEFA declared: “This goes beyond the limit that the institutions that govern football should never exceed.” The entity emphasized the seriousness of the situation, appealing to all national federations, leagues, clubs, players, fans, governments and other interested parties to share this concern for the future of the sport.
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Still in the document, UEFA continued: “The essence and governance of football are not assets to be traded – especially without any transparency about who profits financially. None of us own football. It is not FIFA’s business that it can be sold.”
The current president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, 56 years old, is expected to run again for re-election next year.
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If successful, Infantino will hold the presidency until 2031, when FIFA regulations require his departure due to term limits.
Reports in the international press suggest that Infantino could take over management of the new company as commissioner, shortly after the end of his mandate at FIFA.
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FIFA currently operates as a non-profit association, based in Switzerland, and is made up of 211 national federations affiliated globally.
Approval of any plan like this would depend on these 211 members, who would have the chance to access up to $20 million in one-time capital.
In a statement issued by FIFA, Infantino stated that the proposal aims at “the democratization of football around the world”.
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FIFA also has a virtual congress on its agenda for November 23, with the aim of confirming the cities that will host the Women’s World Cup in 2031 and 2035.
It is important to note that, in 2018, Infantino had presented a confidential proposal worth 25 billion dollars, over 12 years, in partnership with Japan’s SoftBank. The plan aimed to create new global competitions, such as an expanded version of the Men’s Club World Cup, supposedly with financing from Saudi Arabia. This history demonstrates a persistence in the search for private investments to expand and reformulate the football calendar, generating resistance from UEFA on previous occasions.
This previous proposal failed in the face of strong resistance from UEFA, which saw the project as a direct threat to its main tournaments, such as the Champions League and the European Championship.
Despite the obstacles, Infantino strengthened his ties with Saudi Arabian football and with the kingdom’s crown prince, Mohammed Bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup and played a significant financial role in the redevelopment of the Club World Cup, which took place in the United States the previous year.
