Just days after staging the most lucrative World Cup in history, FIFA has a new — and instantly controversial — plan to raise more money: selling stakes in its marquee event to private investors for billions of dollars.
It's a complicated but potentially lucrative plan, one that comes as FIFA is still facing strong criticism for jacking up ticket prices for the 2026 World Cup across North America. FIFA is already set to bring in at least $13 billion from the past four-year cycle, the bulk of it from its marquee men's tournament.
In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA said it plans to create a new separate company that would handle the commercial rights to the men's and women's World Cup, as well as to the recently-introduced tournament called the Club World Cup.
This new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise, would handle all commercial decisions, such as deciding on broadcasting and commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments. FIFA though would retain its role as the main governing body, so it would still be in charge of all sporting decisions.
But in an unprecedented move, the soccer body said it plans to actively seek minority investors for this new commercial venture, effectively selling partial stakes in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors as part of a plan to raise up to $4.2 billion.
To find these new investments, FIFA plans to partner with Thrive Eternal, a firm that describes itself as a "permanent capital holding company," effectively meaning it owns stakes or companies and holds those investments for an indefinite period. It's run by Joshua Kushner, a brother of Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law. FIFA added J.P. Morgan had been hired as an adviser.
FIFA, though, promised to share a big chunk of the money raised across its 211 member associations.
"Football is the world's most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in the statement. "Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value – and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game. Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it: FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world."
Plan is met with fury
Although FIFA would need its member associations to approve the plan, the decision was sharply criticized by UEFA, the body representing football associations in Europe.
"This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," UEFA said in its own statement.
"The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially," it added. "None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell."
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on UEFA's statement.
Some European leagues, such as Spain's LaLiga, have already sold minority stakes to private investors. But FIFA is a non-profit organization based in Switzerland, and the move to bring in private investors would be a first for the global soccer governing body.
Although FIFA attracted record crowds to the World Cup this year, it's also been dogged by controversies.
The organization is facing scrutiny from some state authorities over this summer's ticket prices, including in New York and New Jersey. Democratic Ranking Member Jamie Raskin from Maryland this week demanded FIFA President Infantino appear for an interview about what he called "mounting evidence of corruption and a potential quid pro quo between FIFA and the Trump Administration," an accusation that FIFA has previously strongly denied.
FIFA also came under strong criticism after suspending a red card handed out to U.S. player Folarin Balogun — after President Trump and his administration requested the governing body re-examine its decision. The suspension allowed Balogun to play in his next match, which the U.S. lost to Belgium.
Copyright 2026 NPR
