FIFA Defends $20B World Cup Stake Plan Amid UEFA and Concacaf Boycott Threats

FIFA maintains 'nobody is selling football' despite a proposal to sell 20% of its commercial operations to a New York investment firm for $20 billion.

FIFA issued an official statement at 12:34 AM ET on Friday, July 31, 2026, defending a proposal to spin off its commercial operations into a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The project, valued at $20 billion, involves selling a 20% stake to private equity investors, specifically a New York-based firm founded by Joshua Kushner. Under the terms of the deal revealed on Tuesday, FIFA’s 211 member associations would see their basic funding for the next four years double from $10 million to $20 million. President Gianni Infantino projected that total funding per member through 2038 would reach $86 million, a significant increase from the current $36 million estimate.

Opposition to the venture culminated on Thursday when UEFA’s 55 member nations held an urgent online meeting and unanimously agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions. This decision directly impacts the Women’s Under-20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin in Poland on September 5. Furthermore, the four British federations, who represent the sole bidders for the 2035 Women’s World Cup, are part of this protest. FIFA is currently scheduled to announce the host for that tournament on November 23.

Global Resistance and Financial Incentives

Concacaf’s 41 members also rejected the plan during a Thursday meeting, citing a lack of due process and an "artificially short deadline" for approval. The confederation questioned the necessity of outside private equity following what it described as the most profitable World Cup in history. Infantino’s proposal requires acceptance from the 211 global members by mid-September. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also voiced dissent, with President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa writing to his 46 members to warn that FIFA’s unilateral actions could undermine the foundations of continental soccer.

FIFA claims that media reports regarding the sale have been erroneous and insists that the consultation process will continue. The governing body stated that if the 211 member associations do not agree to the move, FFE will not be established and commercial activities will remain unchanged. "Nobody is selling football," the statement read, asserting that such an action is not something the organization would ever entertain. FIFA also noted that while entities have the right to seek clarification, no single group can claim to represent the entirety of the 211 member associations.

Deadlines and Governance Concerns

UEFA’s statement emphasized that the World Cup belongs to football and will not be for sale as long as Europe has a voice. The European body’s refusal to participate creates an immediate conflict for the upcoming youth tournament in Poland. Concacaf highlighted that the proposal had not undergone review or approval by relevant FIFA governance bodies before being presented to the members.

Infantino’s letter to the 211 members, who are the effective owners of FIFA under Swiss nonprofit law, framed the FFE as a necessary evolution for funding. However, the AFC characterized the move as a threat to the risks of their own regional competitions. FIFA maintains that its planned consultation was disrupted by incorrect reporting and intends to ensure each member can vote based on facts. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to a democratic process while dismissing the public outcry as a byproduct of misinformation.