FIFA chief calls plan to sell 20% World Cup stake a 'golden opportunity' as UEFA threatens boycott

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called his plan to sell a stake in a new World Cup subsidiary a "golden opportunity to dramatically accelerate the development of football," even as UEFA convened an emergency meeting of its 55 member associations and raised the prospect of a World Cup boycott.

In a video message released Wednesday evening local time, Infantino said "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE) was a proposal, a consultation process and an opportunity — not an obligation, according to French news agency AFP and German agency dpa.

"This is about realizing commercial value that has so far been underutilized," Infantino said, adding that doing so "requires a distinct expertise, separate from the work of governing and developing the sport."

FIFA officially announced plans to establish FFE on July 28, structuring it to bundle the sale of commercial rights — including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing — with tournament operations.

FIFA has set an initial enterprise value of $20 billion for FFE and plans to sell up to a 20% stake to outside investors, raising $4.2 billion in the process.

According to Britain's The Times, Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, and a JPMorgan Chase affiliate are among the investor candidates being considered.

The Associated Press noted that Joshua Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.

UEFA drew a sharp line on the day of the announcement, saying in a statement that the plan had crossed the line. "The soul and governance of football are not for sale, and there is a complete lack of transparency about who stands to benefit financially," the body said.

Sky Sports reported that an emergency video conference of UEFA's 55 member associations would be held Thursday, with a boycott threat seen as a potential tool should Infantino press ahead with the plan.

Politicians also weighed in. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday evening that "football belongs to the people who fill the stadiums, not to investors." French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said Europe must "speak with one voice in the face of a plan that could fundamentally change the sport."

The proposal is expected to draw considerable support from smaller member associations outside Europe, however. Approval of FFE would require a majority vote among FIFA's 211 member associations as well as sign-off from the FIFA Council.

The Associated Press noted it is not the first time Infantino has sought to bring in outside funding — he pursued a 12-year, $25 billion deal with Japan's SoftBank in 2018.