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North American nations reject Infantino's World Cup investment plan after UEFA's boycott threat
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- CONCACAF has rejected FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors, citing concerns about the lack of due process, short deadlines, and absence of governance review.
- UEFA, the European soccer body, has also agreed to boycott the World Cup and all FIFA competitions in protest of Infantino's plan, calling it a failure of leadership and an abdication of FIFA's duty.
- Infantino's secret plan involves creating a $20 billion subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), with 20% owned by private investors, including Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner.
- The Asian Football Confederation, traditionally supportive of FIFA, expressed concerns that FIFA's unilateral actions undermine continental football, signaling a loss of unified support for Infantino's initiative.
- Thrive Capital has denied political connections to the Trump administration despite Kushner family ties, emphasizing Joshua Kushner's independent business success and Democratic political donations.
