Report: FIFA President Wants to Sell Part of the World Cup to Jared Kushner's Brother

A report in The Times reveals that FIFA President Gianni Infantino plans to sell partial ownership of the World Cup to private investors, led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner. UEFA strongly opposes, calling it a 'red line' and threatening to boycott FIFA events. The White House is aware of the deal, and Infantino stands to earn tens of millions of dollars.

A report in The Times reveals that FIFA President Gianni Infantino plans to sell partial ownership of the World Cup to private investors, led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Under the plan, a new company would be established to manage FIFA's major national team competitions – the men's World Cup, women's World Cup, and Club World Cup. Each of the 211 member associations would receive shares alongside private investors, while FIFA retains controlling shares. Infantino is expected to head the new company as commissioner after his presidency ends in 2031, with a salary similar to that of the NFL commissioner (about $64 million per year). FIFA stated that the role and salary have not yet been discussed but emphasized that FIFA and its president 'should have a leading role' in the company. UEFA issued a sharp statement against the move, defining it as a 'red line' and calling on all football bodies to oppose it. The BBC reported that UEFA's 55 member associations will hold an emergency meeting this week, and a boycott of FIFA events is being considered. A senior English football figure compared the move to the attempt to establish the European Super League in 2021. The White House is aware of the deal. Infantino attempted a similar move in 2018 with SoftBank and a Saudi fund, but it failed.