- FIFA Unveils $20bn Commercial Plan as UEFA Warns Against Growing Private Investment in Football
FIFA has announced an ambitious proposal to establish a new commercial subsidiary worth an estimated $20 billion, a move designed to unlock fresh investment for global football while retaining control of the sport’s governance.
The proposed entity, to be known as FIFA Forward Enterprise, would manage the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup and several other major FIFA competitions. Under the plan, FIFA intends to retain a controlling stake in the company while offering minority shares to private investors in a deal expected to raise as much as $4.2 billion.
The proposal must still receive approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations before it can be implemented.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the initiative would strengthen football’s financial future by creating new revenue streams that would be reinvested into the development of the game across all continents.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport,” Infantino said. “Its global appeal has created enormous commercial value, and our responsibility is to ensure those benefits reach every part of the football family. The additional income generated will help expand access to football and support sustainable development for our member associations.”
According to FIFA, the investment group interested in the venture is expected to be led by an investment vehicle founded by Joshua Kushner, an American entrepreneur and founder of Thrive Capital. Kushner is also the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite FIFA’s assurances that it will retain full authority over football matters, the proposal has drawn fierce criticism from UEFA, which believes the move risks pushing the sport further toward commercial interests.
European football’s governing body described the proposal as a step too far, warning that football’s governing institutions should not become dependent on private investment for their flagship competitions.
FIFA has rejected those concerns, insisting that football governance will remain entirely under its control. The organisation says it will continue to oversee competition formats, the international match calendar, sporting regulations and all policy decisions, regardless of whether outside investors acquire minority stakes in the new company.
The announcement comes shortly after FIFA staged the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament, the first to feature 48 teams, attracted record attendances, unprecedented global television audiences and significant commercial success, further increasing the value of the World Cup as one of the world’s most lucrative sporting events.
FIFA believes the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise will allow the organisation to capitalise on that commercial growth while providing greater financial support for grassroots football, infrastructure projects, youth development, women’s football and member associations worldwide.
If approved by FIFA Congress, the investment plan would represent one of the biggest commercial restructurings in the history of world football, potentially reshaping how the sport’s flagship competitions are financed while igniting a broader debate over the balance between commercial investment and football governance.
