FIFA has announced plans to create a new commercial subsidiary valued at $20 billion, offering a stake of up to 20% to external investors to raise up to $4.2 billion, according to Reuters. Under the proposal unveiled by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the world soccer governing body will establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a subsidiary that will consolidate the organization’s commercial and event operations, including competitions like the World Cup and the Club World Cup.
FIFA Announces $20 Billion Subsidiary and Plans to Raise $4.2 Billion
FIFA stated that it would retain sole control and exclusive authority
over football governance, competitions, the match calendar, and all regulatory and sporting decisions. According to aol.com, outside investors will hold only a minority stake in FFE, will not play any operational role, and are investing in a subsidiary rather than in FIFA itself.
UEFA Rejects Proposal and Cites Financial Transparency Concerns
The fundraising plan faced immediate and sharp criticism from Europe’s governing body UEFA, which rejected the private investment proposal as a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. In a statement reported by Reuters, UEFA declared that the soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell.
UEFA urged national football associations, leagues, clubs, players, supporters, and governments to take the matter extremely seriously. The dispute further widens existing divisions between the Switzerland-based FIFA and UEFA. The rift follows earlier disagreements over disciplinary procedures, refereeing logistics, and match operations that led UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin to refuse attendance at the recent World Cup final in North America, which was hosted across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Private Investment Structure and Planned Funding for Member Associations
Financial backing for the new enterprise involves prominent figures and institutions. FIFA is working with bankers at Reuters to bring in external investors. Thrive Eternal, a new investment strategy launched by venture capital firm Thrive Capital and founded by Joshua Kushner—the brother of Jared Kushner—is expected to be a lead investor in the entity. Former Liberty Media CEO Reuters has been involved as a commercial adviser, and former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger also serves as an adviser.
Sources told The Guardian that the FFE plans would not allow investors to take dividends from the scheme, though investors could potentially sell their stake later. FIFA stated that all net benefits from the capital raise will be reinvested into the game to widen access to the sport and strengthen global participation.
Approval Process and Potential Member Association Impact
The funds raised are intended to establish an optional program allowing member associations to receive additional development funding. This includes access to up to $20 million in one-off capital this year, alongside predicted increases in annual disbursements aimed at sharing a total of $10 billion in extra funding.
A FIFA spokesperson stated that the proposal will soon be presented to FIFA’s 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, which will serve as the sole final decision-makers on the matter. FIFA indicated that a majority of its 211 members must express an interest in taking the extra funding for the external investment to proceed. However, reports noted that the launch of FFE caught parts of the football world by surprise, with members of the key decision-making FIFA Council previously unaware of the scheme and excluded from its development.
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