Infantino reveals plan to sell minority stake in World Cup through $20bn FIFA subsidiary

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has ignited fierce controversy with his latest audacious scheme to privatize a portion of the World Cup’s commercial empire. The global football governing body announced plans to carve out a colossal $20 billion (£15 billion) subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which will consolidate the organisation’s commercial rights and event operations under one umbrella. This subsidiary will manage everything from broadcasting and sponsorship deals to ticketing and licensing for the World Cup, Club World Cup, and other FIFA tournaments.

Crucially, FIFA intends to offer up to a 20 per cent minority stake in FFE to private investors, aiming to raise as much as $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion). While FIFA insists it will retain full control over football governance, competitions, the match calendar, and all sporting decisions, the move effectively opens the door to private capital having a financial claim on the sport’s flagship event. A FIFA spokesperson stressed, “Outside investors will have only a minority stake in FFE and will not play any operational role. Equally, they are investing in a subsidiary of FIFA, and not in FIFA itself. For FIFA, nothing changes.”

This announcement, leaked publicly on Tuesday, has been met with alarm and widespread scepticism. Critics see the plan as a cynical cash grab that risks compromising football’s integrity by inviting private money into its most sacred competitions. The timing and scale of the proposal have raised eyebrows, especially given the sport’s ongoing struggles with governance and transparency.

FIFA plans to present the proposal to its 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, who will have the final say on its approval. The organisation promises that proceeds from the capital raise will fund an “optional program” enabling member associations to access up to $20 million (£15 million) in one-off capital for infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football, and the women’s game—a figure that was reportedly increased to $24 million (£18 million) just a day after the announcement. This would represent a significant boost, tripling current funding levels by the 2035-2038 cycle.

Yet many remain unconvinced that selling stakes in the World Cup’s commercial rights aligns with football’s wider interests. The move could mark a dangerous precedent, blurring the lines between sport and profit-driven investment in ways that may ultimately erode the game’s soul. As one observer bluntly commented: “Like f*** it doesn’t [change].”

FIFA’s gamble on privatization now faces a critical test. The football world watches closely as member associations prepare to decide whether to endorse a plan that could redefine the governance and commercial future of the sport’s most prestigious tournament.