FIFA plans for Kushner-backed $20 billion operation to run the World Cup

Key Points:

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced plans to create a $20 billion commercial company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to run the World Cup and other competitions with private investors, including the Kushner family, aiming to raise $4.2 billion later this year.
• UEFA strongly opposed the plan, stating that football is not for sale and criticizing the lack of transparency and potential conflicts of interest, emphasizing that football’s governance should not be treated as a commercial asset.
• FIFA plans to offer its 211 member federations the chance to access up to $20 million in one-off capital through the FIFA Fast-Forward Program, significantly increasing development funds compared to current commitments.
• This is Infantino’s second major attempt to privatize FIFA assets, following a failed $25 billion deal with SoftBank in 2018, which faced strong resistance from UEFA due to threats to its key competitions.
• Infantino’s financial successes at the recent World Cup likely secure his re-election next year, and there is speculation he could take a CEO-like role in the new FFE entity, although FIFA has not confirmed such plans.