UEFA Probes Infantino World Cup Stake Sale at Knockdown Price 2026

UEFA is investigating whether FIFA President Gianni Infantino agreed to sell future World Cup profits to a private equity firm at a knockdown price, raising serious governance concerns. The European governing body plans to commission an independent valuation of FIFA's commercial assets after the controversial $4.2 billion deal for a 21% stake was abandoned last week.

Infantino's Apology and UEFA's Response

Infantino issued a written apology to FIFA's 211 member associations on Tuesday after crisis talks in Morocco, conceding the proposal was "a mistake." However, UEFA remains unmoved and is continuing its push for his removal. The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, which involved selling a stake to Thrive Capital—led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner—was scrapped after all 55 UEFA member associations threatened to boycott the World Cup.

Independent Valuation and Market Scrutiny

UEFA has consulted several market analysts to assess the $20 billion valuation of FIFA's commercial assets. The FIFA sales deck reportedly lacked details on the valuation process or evidence of a competitive tender. A source with knowledge of UEFA's plans stated, "We need to find out if they were selling the World Cup at a knockdown price. How did they get to $20bn? Was it a robust process?"

FIFA's revenues for the four-year cycle culminating in the 2022 World Cup were $15 billion, leading analysts to suggest $20 billion was low, especially without provisions to prevent tournament expansion. The World Cup is the only genuinely global mass entertainment event, so an increase of just $5 billion on current revenues seems conservative.

Comparison of FIFA Revenues and Proposed Valuation

Key Takeaways

• UEFA is seeking an independent valuation of FIFA's commercial assets to determine if the World Cup was undervalued.
• Infantino's apology has not satisfied UEFA, which continues to demand his removal.
• The abandoned deal with Thrive Capital raised conflicts of interest due to Joshua Kushner's family ties.
• FIFA's lack of transparency in the valuation process is a major concern for member associations.
• The $20 billion valuation may not account for future tournament expansion and revenue growth.

FAQ