FIFA's Failed World Cup Stake Sale and the Fallout for Infantino

Last month, just days after the men's World Cup in North America ended, FIFA announced a plan to raise billions of dollars by selling stakes in its tournaments to private investors. Four days later, President Gianni Infantino abandoned the proposal after opposition from confederations, member associations and senior FIFA staff, and the fallout has since put his presidency in doubt.

The plan, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, would have moved the commercial rights to the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new company valued at around $20 billion. Private investors would have held 20%, with a New York investment firm founded by Joshua Kushner named as the lead backer. Infantino gave member associations until 19 September to back the plan, with a £30.1 million incentive to accept. FIFA is a non-profit association based in Switzerland, so bringing in private investors would have been a first for the organisation. UEFA called the plan the "sale" of football and its members threatened to boycott the World Cup, while CONCACAF criticised the lack of due process and the absence of any approval by FIFA's own governance bodies. Adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said staff had been misled.

Although Infantino withdrew the plan on 31 July, UEFA declared the next day that it had lost confidence in his leadership. That statement has no formal effect on its own. Under FIFA's statutes, an extraordinary Congress can be called if 20% of its 211 member associations request one, meaning 43 associations could force a vote on his position. UEFA's 55 members would be enough to meet that threshold if they acted together. Several associations, including Ireland, New Zealand and Gibraltar, have since withdrawn their support for his re-election, while Africa's confederation CAF and associations including Morocco and Qatar have backed him.

The more likely route is the scheduled election at the FIFA Congress in Rabat on 18 March 2027, where Infantino intends to stand for a fourth term. He had been expected to run unopposed, as he did in 2019 and 2023, but CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has reportedly been preparing to stand against him.

The real power within FIFA sits with its member associations. They were able to block the president's plan, and they will decide his future at the Congress in Rabat in March 2027.