FIFA President Gianni Infantino spent roughly a year quietly building a plan to sell off a piece of the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors. It took about two weeks for the whole thing to fall apart.
The proposal, which centered on a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), would have consolidated the commercial management of FIFA’s flagship tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, under a single entity. A minority stake of approximately 20-21% was to be sold at an implied valuation of $20 billion, raising around $4.2 billion. Infantino formally withdrew the plan on July 31, 2026, after leaked details triggered a revolt among FIFA’s own leadership.
The pitch that bypassed FIFA’s own boardroom
The core promise was straightforward: more money for everyone. FIFA’s 211 member associations currently receive somewhere between $8 million and $10 million each under existing development programs. Under the FFE proposal, that figure would have jumped to as much as $40 million per association starting in 2027.
The proposal was developed over approximately a year with minimal internal consultation, then pushed toward an internal vote in mid-July 2026. FIFA’s top leadership, including members of its governing council, were largely kept in the dark until the final stages.
