FIFA has proposed the establishment of a $20 billion commercial arm, called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage the FIFA World Cup and other major tournaments.
The global football governing body announced its plans on Tuesday, July 28, in Geneva, Switzerland, with details first shared during meetings in Manhattan on July 18, 2026, ahead of the World Cup final.
Under the FFE, FIFA seeks to sell up to a 20% minority stake to private investors, targeting $4.2 billion in funding. The investor group is expected to be led by Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
“FIFA would retain sole control of FFE and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions,” the football governing body said.
Defending the proposed commercial arm, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the goal is not to sell football but to generate additional revenue from the sport’s popularity and reinvest it in football’s development.
“Football is the world’s most popular sport. Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value, and we celebrate that success because it lifts the whole game. Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it. FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world,” he said.
FIFA said FFE would raise up to $4.2 billion later this year to help fund football development programmes, based on an initial equity valuation of $20 billion by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests.
Instead of the currently promised $8 million for each member association in development funding during the 2027–30 World Cup commercial cycle, FIFA said the amount would increase to $20 million, then $22 million and $24 million in the following cycles.
“This is about the democratisation of football worldwide,” Infantino said in a FIFA statement.
Meanwhile, the proposal remains subject to approval by FIFA’s 211 member associations. If approved, each member association will receive a one-off $20 million capital grant.
UEFA, other stakeholders react to proposal
In response to FIFA’s proposal, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), in a formal statement shared on its website and social media platforms, said FIFA had “crossed the line,” arguing that the soul of football is not for anyone to sell, not even FIFA.
“This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. None of us is the owner of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell,” UEFA said.
UEFA argued that the move should be treated as a serious concern, as the proposal does not explicitly state who stands to gain financially.
“UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every national football association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade, especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” part of the statement read.
The latest development comes just weeks after FIFA staged its first-ever 48-team World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the largest edition in the tournament’s history.
No timetable has yet been announced for discussions or decisions by FIFA, its ruling Council chaired by Infantino, or its 211 member associations.
FIFA is scheduled to hold an online Congress on Nov. 23 to confirm the hosts of the 2031 and 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cups.
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