Concacaf's 41 member federations unanimously rejected FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a stake in the organization's commercial operations to private investors, following an emergency meeting Thursday of Concacaf presidents, its Council, and FIFA Council members. The rejection came hours after UEFA's 55 members voted to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if the plan moves forward.
The proposal
FIFA is seeking to sell a minority, non-controlling stake — reported at roughly 20% — in a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would consolidate FIFA's broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing rights. The Associated Press reports the subsidiary carries a $20 billion equity valuation, with FIFA seeking to raise up to $4.2 billion in capital later this year. Josh Kushner's Thrive Capital is the intended lead investor; JPMorgan is advising FIFA on the plan. FIFA says it "would retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions."
Why Concacaf said no
In an official statement following the meeting, Concacaf cited "deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies," and questioned the need for private equity investment "following the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history." The confederation — whose members include 2026 World Cup hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico — rejected the proposal, tasked its FIFA Council members with exploring the use of FIFA's own reserves to fund Forward programs instead, and instructed Infantino to follow proper governance processes under the FIFA Statutes, declaring that "football's future — and its greatest asset — must remain in the hands of our football family." Concacaf stopped short of UEFA's boycott threat.
UEFA goes further
UEFA's statement was blunter, calling the process "governance by intimidation" and declaring: "some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football." Combined, Concacaf and UEFA's 96 member federations represent nearly half of FIFA's 211-member body. A source familiar with the Concacaf discussions told Vanguard News that delegates described "losing confidence, or have lost confidence altogether" in Infantino. La Liga president Javier Tebas, who called for Infantino's resignation earlier this month, said whoever "mixes politics, discipline, money and power without transparency cannot lead anything." Infantino has defended the plan, telling reporters it is "part of a democratic process – a consultation process – and, above all, it is an opportunity but not an obligation," and that FIFA "obviously continues to govern football without any external interference."
The deadline
FIFA has given its 211 member federations until September 19 to approve the plan. Approval unlocks $20 million per federation in the 2027-30 Forward funding cycle — up from a previously promised $8 million — rising to $22 million and then $24 million in subsequent cycles, according to the AP. It is the second FIFA revenue fight to draw scrutiny this year: New York and New Jersey's attorneys general subpoenaed FIFA over 2026 World Cup ticket pricing that rose an average of 34% across more than 90 matches, a controversy NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani leaned into when he negotiated 1,000 discounted tickets for city residents. Infantino faces reelection March 18, 2027, at a FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco.
Source: Associated Press, Forbes
Comments