GENEVA (AP) 鈥� FIFA President Gianni Infantino set a Sept. 19 deadline on Wednesday for the 211 member federations to accept one-off $20 million offers as part of a project to sell stakes in the to private investors.
The $20 billion FIFA subsidiary, bankrolled by the brother of Jared Kushner, was blasted by international soccer organizations. European soccer body UEFA aims to call its 55 member federations to an emergency online meeting, likely on Thursday.
鈥淏ut having held discussions with many stakeholders across the game, UEFA knows there is significant and growing opposition to FIFA鈥檚 scheme,鈥� the organization said in a statement.
The effort also marks with those in the orbit of U.S. President Donald Trump: by creating the , letting Trump intervene in a process that led to United States forward , and now trying to lock in Joshua Kushner’s investment firm to a 12-year ownership deal with the Switzerland-based not-for-profit soccer body.
Infantino set out the 鈥渟ingular and unique funding opportunity鈥� in a letter detailing why he wants to 鈥� 20% owned by private investors 鈥� that would run the soccer body鈥檚 competitions and events like World Cups and Club World Cups.
鈥淚t is my duty and responsibility as FIFA president to present such game-changing opportunities to you, our members,鈥� Infantino wrote in the letter seen by The Associated Press.
The proposal revealed Tuesday and backed by Joshua Kushner’s investment firm Thrive Capital was met with immediate fury from Infantino鈥檚 former colleagues at UEFA, which said the World Cup 鈥渋s not FIFA鈥檚 to sell.鈥�
One option open to European soccer is threaten a boycott of FIFA competitions 鈥� a when UEFA-led opposition helped stop Infantino’s plan to play the World Cup every two years instead of four.
FIFA鈥檚 private equity plan is the latest ambitious project proposed during Infantino鈥檚 11-year presidency in which he has increasingly seemed to be an executive leader acting without consulting with soccer鈥檚 major stakeholders.
Previous plans include creating a FIFA Peace Prize 鈥� at the World Cup draw 鈥� and trying to push through in 2018 to create new and bigger men’s competitions. That was resisted by UEFA.
Concerns about the latest and previously secret plan were aired Wednesday by the continental soccer bodies for Asia and the North American region known as CONCACAF.
鈥淲e are deeply concerned by the lack of due process,鈥� CONCACAF said in a statement.
The Kuala Lumpur-based it was 鈥渄isappointed that a matter of such significance entered the public domain before the AFC family had been afforded the opportunity to examine and discuss it.鈥�
Continental bodies that organize their own international club and national-team competitions 鈥� such as the Champions League, European Championship and Copa America 鈥� likely will see threats to those events from FIFA wanting to increase revenue and value for investors by playing World Cups and Club World Cups for men and women more often, along with adding more teams.
The influential, 850-member 鈥� which has a joint venture with UEFA to manage the Champions League 鈥� said it 鈥渓earned about this proposal in the same way as most global football stakeholders 鈥� without warning and through the media.鈥�
Inviting in private investors could also, sports governance academic Antoine Duval suggested Wednesday 鈥渋ncentivize FIFA to further commodify the World Cup (think more and ) in a drive to increase its revenue.鈥�
What’s on offer to FIFA member federations
If the FIFA Forward Enterprise subsidiary is approved by a majority of the 211 members, they also each are promised $20 million in funding from the four-year commercial cycle tied to the men鈥檚 2030 World Cup.
That would lead, Infantinto wrote, to 鈥渁 pool of diverse international investors鈥� joining Joshua Kushner’s Thrive as the anchor investor: 鈥淭his process will be led by J.P. Morgan.鈥�
If Infantino鈥檚 plan is rejected, those members will get their previously promised $10 million over the next four years, his letter stated.
The cash difference on offer Wednesday to FIFA members appears to be $86 million over 12 years compared to about $36 million in existing promised funding for rejecting the private equity deal.
The rushed deadline to claim an initial $20 million 鈥渟ays everything you need to know about this plan,鈥� UEFA said. 鈥淔IFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends.鈥�
Dozens of member federations typically rely on FIFA for funding, have national teams with little realistic chance of qualifying for World Cups, and whose best players rarely, if ever, join clubs playing at the highest level of international competitions.
FIFA’s one-member, one-vote democratic system means the most powerful soccer nations on the field easily can be outvoted by those who rarely play top-level games.
Resistance in Britain
FIFA鈥檚 plan met quick opposition from British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, whose government is preparing to support hosting the in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. FIFA is set to confirm that lone bid for 2035 at an online meeting in November.
鈥淔ootball does not belong to investors,鈥� Burnham, a longtime soccer fan, said in a . 鈥淥nce you have sold a piece of (the World Cup), you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans. It always has, and it always will.鈥�
Resistance by British lawmakers 鈥� including threats of legislation by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021 鈥� previously helped that was an existential threat to UEFA’s Champions League, and which Infantino had discreetly supported. J.P. Morgan
Infantino’s future
Infantino has seemed to be cruising toward being reelected unopposed as FIFA president for a fourth and final term through 2031.
Promising more FIFA funds to member federations was a decisive part of his initial election-day speech in February 2016, and at his unopposed reelections in 2019 and .
Some observers have long suspected Infantino wants a longer-term role running the sport. A CEO or commissioner role at a FIFA subsidiary FFE would fit that bill.
This week, Infantino has ignited frustration with his leadership beyond the usual circles in Europe, which have almost four months to commit to an election challenge.
The candidate entry deadline is Nov. 18 for an election , which has been a in recent years and will co-host the 2030 World Cup.
___
AP soccer: and
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
