FIFA Weighs Venture Stake Sale

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, July 29, 2026

FIFA plans to raise over $4 billion by selling a stake in a new $20 billion commercial venture combining its broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing rights across all levels of soccer. This proposal, which must be approved by FIFA’s member associations, aims to fund member organizations but has faced criticism from UEFA over governance concerns and the potential commercialization of the sport.

FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, is considering raising more than $4 billion through the sale of a stake in a newly proposed commercial venture, the organization announced on Tuesday. The venture, which would be valued at approximately $20 billion, aims to consolidate FIFA’s broadcast rights, sponsorships, ticketing, and licensing operations across all levels of the sport, including men’s, women’s, and youth competitions.

The move is intended to capitalize on the growing popularity and revenue potential linked to the World Cup, the world’s most widely viewed sporting event. According to FIFA, the proceeds from the stake sale would be allocated to funding member associations. The organization is working with investment banks JPMorgan and advisors OpenEconomics to structure the transaction.

Joshua Kushner’s investment firm, Thrive Capital, is expected to lead the group of prospective investors through its holding company Thrive Eternal, FIFA said. FIFA, which has no private owners and is currently headed by President Gianni Infantino—a position he has held since 2016 and is seeking to retain in upcoming elections—would maintain control over the venture. FIFA emphasized it would retain exclusive authority over competitions, match scheduling, and all sporting decisions related to the game.

However, the proposal has drawn immediate criticism from UEFA, Europe’s soccer governing body. UEFA described the initiative as crossing a fundamental boundary, stating that the governance and integrity of football should not be treated as commodities. UEFA expressed concerns over the lack of transparency regarding who would financially benefit from the transaction, underscoring that football belongs to no single entity and is not a property for FIFA to sell.

The commercial venture still requires approval by a majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations before proceeding. The outcome of this vote will determine whether FIFA moves forward with creating a new revenue-generating structure that could reshape the commercial landscape of global soccer.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.