FIFA Under Fire as World Cup Ownership Proposal Sparks Global Backlash

FIFA is facing one of the most serious governance crises of Gianni Infantino’s presidency after a controversial proposal to sell a stake in a commercial entity linked to the FIFA World Cup triggered fierce opposition from football authorities across Europe, North America and Asia.

The governing body insists that “nobody is selling football” and says the plan is only intended to explore new commercial opportunities for member associations. However, the proposal has prompted UEFA to threaten a boycott of FIFA competitions, while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have also publicly opposed the initiative, dramatically increasing pressure on Infantino.

At the centre of the controversy is a proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new company that would manage FIFA’s commercial activities, including World Cup-related rights. FIFA is reportedly considering selling a 20 percent stake in the entity to private investors, with an investment group led by Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, identified as the leading investor.

UEFA’s response has been particularly severe. The European governing body declared that its opposition was “unanimous and unequivocal” and warned that none of its 55 member associations would participate in FIFA competitions while the proposal remained under consideration. The threat represents one of the most direct confrontations between UEFA and FIFA in recent years.

The backlash has also spread inside FIFA itself. Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Gianni Infantino and a former banking executive, resigned in protest, describing the proposal as “a bad deal for football” and “for the long-term future of the game.” FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour reportedly criticised the lack of transparency surrounding the project, calling it “the project of one person” and suggesting that FIFA staff had been kept in the dark.

In response, FIFA released a statement rejecting what it called “incorrect media reports” and reaffirming its commitment to an open consultation process.

“FFE has been proposed solely to ensure that all FIFA member associations have the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of the commercial opportunity of football in their respective countries,” the statement said. “Nobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain.”

Despite the denial, critics fear that private investment could fundamentally alter the governance of world football and encourage FIFA to stage larger and more frequent tournaments in pursuit of commercial returns. The debate comes only weeks after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was already criticised for its expanded format, scheduling controversies and increasing political influence surrounding the tournament.

The political dimension of the crisis deepened after Andy Burnham, the UK Prime Minister, publicly described Infantino as “the wrong man” to lead FIFA, arguing that the very existence of the proposal demonstrated a serious failure of judgment. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter also called for new leadership, saying that politics had overshadowed football during the tournament.

Adding to the pressure, Donald Trump denied speaking with Infantino about the ownership proposal, although the FIFA president has faced scrutiny over previous interactions with the U.S. president during the World Cup.

Analysts believe the controversy could have significant consequences for Infantino’s future. With growing criticism from confederations, member associations and senior figures inside FIFA, discussions about governance reform are intensifying. A vote of no confidence could theoretically be called if enough national associations demand an extraordinary FIFA Congress.

For now, FIFA maintains that the consultation process will continue and that member associations will ultimately decide the future of the proposal. But the episode has already exposed deep divisions within world football and raised fundamental questions about who should control the sport’s most valuable competition.

Whether FIFA can restore trust among its stakeholders may determine not only the future of the FFE proposal, but also the future of Gianni Infantino’s presidency itself.