FIFA President Gianni Infantino has scrapped his $20 billion plan to sell stakes in future World Cup profits to private investors, following a fierce backlash from European nations and senior FIFA staff. The announcement came on August 1 from FIFA headquarters in Switzerland, just days after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup final in New York, where Infantino had appeared triumphant alongside U.S. President Donald Trump, according to fortune.com.
The plan, led by investor Joshua Kushner, aimed to monetize future FIFA event revenues by inviting private capital into the organization. However, the proposal sparked a severe rift within global soccer, with European countries threatening to boycott FIFA events and senior officials accusing Infantino of deception. In response to the mounting opposition, Infantino stated that the project had created divisions detrimental to FIFA’s objectives and decided to abandon it, as reported by fortune.com.
This development underscores the delicate balance FIFA must maintain between commercial interests and the sport’s traditional governance structures. The $20 billion investment plan would have been one of the largest financial moves in sports history, but the resistance highlights the challenges FIFA faces in navigating stakeholder interests. The controversy also casts uncertainty over Infantino’s leadership, which until recently appeared secure after the successful 2026 World Cup.
Infantino’s decision to withdraw the investment plan came less than two weeks after the World Cup final on July 19, signaling a rapid reversal amid growing dissent. The fallout has raised questions about FIFA’s future revenue strategies and the president’s ability to unify global soccer stakeholders, according to fortune.com.