FIFA Drops Plan to Sell World Cup Stakes to Private Equity

The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, announced Friday the cancellation of a controversial plan that aimed to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. Initially set to consolidate FIFA’s commercial and event operations into a new subsidiary valued at $20 billion, the proposal faced strong opposition. Among those against the plan were soccer organizations from Asia, Europe, and North America.

Europe’s soccer body voiced such strong opposition that it threatened non-participation in FIFA competitions upon the plan’s implementation. In response, FIFA initially declared, “nobody is selling football.” Later, Infantino conveyed that the plan’s purpose was to unify global soccer, not divide it.

Reflecting on the situation, Infantino stated, “Having listened carefully to all the views, it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective set out in the first place.” He reaffirmed FIFA’s mission to unite and improve global soccer.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino were present during the award ceremony of the 2026 World Cup final at the New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19, demonstrating the political and global significance of the event.

The plan known as FIFA Forward Enterprise led Carlos Cordeiro, a former Goldman Sachs banker and Infantino’s senior adviser, to resign. Cordeiro expressed his objection by stating, “I cannot stand by while FIFA considers selling a stake in the World Cup.”

Had it gone through, the plan would have issued a one-time payment of $20 million to each FIFA member federation, yet North America’s CONCACAF firmly rejected the proposal.

Readdressing the situation, Infantino committed to bringing all parties together soon, aiming to promote a collective interest in soccer. He emphasized continued efforts to grow the game globally, especially in countries needing further support.