FIFA President Gianni Infantino sets a Sept. 19 deadline for FIFA’s 211 member associations to decide whether to accept a one-off $20 million offer for each, outlined in a letter sent this week. The proposal is linked to a plan to create a new FIFA subsidiary that would run competitions and events such as the men’s World Cup and Club World Cup. Under the plan described by sources, the subsidiary would be financed through private investment and would involve ownership of 20% by private investors, with the overall concept described as a “singular and unique funding opportunity.” The funding is underwritten by the investment firm associated with Joshua Kushner, described in reporting as Thrive Capital, which is tied to the Kushner family’s investment interests.
In response to the announcement, critics, including former colleagues at UEFA, express opposition to the idea. UEFA is reported to say the World Cup is not something FIFA should be able to “sell,” reflecting broader concern about governance and the commercial implications of the investor-backed structure. Other outlets also report the deadline and the figure offered to each federation, but focus less on the internal dispute.
