UEFA Sounds Alarm: Has Gianni Infantino Just Shattered World Cup Traditions for Good?
So, here’s a curveball for the football world: FIFA’s top dog, Gianni Infantino, is cooking up a plan that’s got UEFA seeing red — and with good reason. Imagine turning the World Cup, that sacred festival of footie every four years, into a kind of Wall Street circus where investors can buy stakes. Yes, really. FIFA is proposing to launch a private company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, inviting outsiders to chip in for a slice of the action — while still holding onto majority control, of course. But here’s the kicker: these deals could open the door to some big-name investors, including the brother of Jared Kushner (that Jared Kushner — Donald Trump’s son-in-law). UEFA isn’t just raising an eyebrow; they’re waving a big red card, warning that football’s soul isn’t up for grabs or to be traded like stocks with no clear financial transparency. Are we witnessing the slow commercial takeover of the beautiful game, or is this just a savvy move to expand football’s empire — more teams, more tournaments, more money? Either way, the football family has a tough vote ahead — and the pitch is getting murkier by the minute. LEARN MORE
UEFA have accused Gianni Infantino of crossing a line with his plans to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments such as the World Cup,
The Times today reported that FIFA boss Infantino plans to set up a private company to run competitions which investors could buy into.
The governing body plans on setting up something called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) which they will then ‘invite third parties to make minority, non-controlling investments’ in.
FIFA would have a majority stake, with private investors controlling between 20 and 30 percent and each of the 211 member nations of FIFA having their own part which would add up to about another 20 percent which they could keep or sell.
If it gets the thumbs up then FIFA says one of the bigger investors already on board is a group called Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner who is the brother of Jared, Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Private investors in FIFA competitions would see the World Cup as the holy grail, and could try and milk the cash cow as much as possible by expanding it to have more countries competing or trying to have it played more often instead of every four years.
It would need to get the approval of FIFA’s member nations (Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
The reaction from European football’s governing body UEFA has been unhappy, to say the least.
They released a statement in reaction to reporting from The Times saying: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.
“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.
“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.
“None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
Evidently they are not happy at all about this idea, which would need to be voted on and approved by FIFA’s 211 member states.
While FIFA would still have a majority stake in this those potential investors who’d be putting a lot of money into world football would be expecting to get their financial investment and more back out of it.
FIFA’s a not-for-profit organisation meant to be owned by the football associations of the member states, and between 2022 and 2026 brought in $15 billion (£11.2 billion) in revenue.
Back in 2018, Infantino had tried to create a new Club World Cup and Nations League with a $25 billion bid from Softbank and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, but it didn’t get enough support.
FIFA have insisted that if this goes ahead any private money would be ‘investing in a subsidiary of FIFA’ and that ‘nothing changes’ for the governing body.
LADbible Group have contacted FIFA for comment.
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