FIFA chief Infantino faces calls to halt $4.2bn private investment plan

Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell a 20% stake in a new FIFA commercial venture to private investors has triggered a warning that the plan could damage football and threaten his position as FIFA president.

The proposal, reported in the British newspaper The Mirror, would create a subsidiary valued at $20bn, with investors paying $4.2bn for their share of FIFA Forward Enterprise.

The article’s author, Felix Keith, argues that Infantino has revealed the scale of his ambitions by seeking to bring private capital into the global game. He says FIFA, despite being a non-profit organisation, generated $13bn over the past four years, while its president has pursued further growth and commercial returns through larger and more frequent competitions, higher ticket prices and an increased focus on entertainment, celebrities and political figures in stadiums.

Infantino has remained popular among FIFA’s members despite controversy during his presidency. The Mirror reports that more than 200 of FIFA’s member associations backed his re-election.

Those controversies have included a Somali referee being denied a visa, difficulties faced by Iranian travellers during the 2026 World Cup and the involvement of United States president Donald Trump in disciplinary procedures.

However, the latest plan has prompted particularly strong criticism. According to reports, the proposed group of investors is being led by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter.

Infantino has also told FIFA members that each of the organisation’s 211 member associations would receive $40m by January next year if they approved the proposal before 19 September. One source told The Times that the offer amounted to an “explicit bribe”.

Keith describes the plan as a bold attempt by Infantino to impose his will on the game, arguing that the FIFA president has been influenced by Trump’s approach to power and politics. He points to Infantino’s close relationship with the US president, including the creation of a FIFA peace prize.

There is also the possibility that Infantino could become commissioner of the proposed company after leaving the FIFA presidency, according to the article.

Keith argues that Infantino has developed a “cult of personality” around himself. He cites the president’s public image, his well-known “Today I feel” speeches and the lengthy messages he sends to critics, saying that what he sees as Infantino’s ego now represents a genuine danger to world football.

He compares the proposed commercial structure with the shock caused by the European Super League project in 2021. Keith urges the largest and most influential football associations to oppose the plan, while acknowledging that smaller nations may be attracted by the prospect of receiving substantial sums of money.

The article says the positions taken by UEFA, The Football Association and CONCACAF offer an encouraging starting point for resisting the proposal.

Keith believes that defeating the plan could also lead to Infantino being removed as FIFA president if a credible challenger emerges to oppose him. He concludes that football is approaching a slippery slope and that action is needed to prevent what he describes as Infantino’s growing arrogance from reshaping the global game.