Furious UEFA Hit Out at FIFA Over Proposal to Sell World Cup Stake

European football's governing body, UEFA, has fiercely condemned a new proposal from FIFA President Gianni Infantino to attract private investment for its competitions, including the prestigious World Cup.

FIFA, the global authority on the sport, announced its intention to establish a new subsidiary, "FIFA Forward Enterprise" (FFE), to manage its commercial and event operations. The plan involves inviting third-party investors to acquire minority, non-controlling stakes in this new venture, with the goal of boosting "football development funding" to over $10 billion (£7.5 billion).

Initial reports from the Financial Times and The Times suggested the deal could be highly lucrative for Infantino personally. FIFA later confirmed that, pending approval, the American venture capital firm Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the investor group. Thrive was founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a statement, FIFA clarified it would maintain "exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions."

Infantino defended the initiative, emphasizing that the wealth generated by football should benefit all member nations. "Our job is to make sure the rest of football grows with it," he said. "FIFA exists to support sustainable, inclusive development in every corner of the world."

However, UEFA responded with a scathing critique, describing the proposal as a step too far that "crosses a line." The European body fears the move could lead to the expansion of FIFA tournaments in size and frequency to generate more revenue, directly threatening its own successful competitions like the Champions League.

"This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," UEFA declared. "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."

The contentious proposal is set to be a major talking point at the next FIFA Council meeting this autumn. It could ultimately be put to a vote by all 211 member associations at the FIFA Congress in Morocco next March.