By Daily Review Online
Opposition to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposed World Cup investment plan has intensified after the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) rejected the initiative, aligning with UEFA in raising concerns over governance and transparency.
CONCACAF’s 41 member associations reached the decision during an emergency meeting on Thursday, following UEFA’s announcement that it would boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal proceeds.
In a statement, CONCACAF criticised what it described as a lack of due process, saying the proposal was introduced without adequate consultation, subjected to an unusually short approval timeline, and had not been reviewed by FIFA’s appropriate governance bodies.
The confederation also questioned the need for private equity investment, arguing that FIFA had generated record revenues from the most profitable World Cup in its history and should not require outside investors to finance its development programmes.
Infantino’s plan, unveiled earlier this week, proposes the creation of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial subsidiary valued at approximately $20 billion. Under the proposal, private investors would acquire a 20 per cent stake in the company, with New York-based investment firm Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, expected to be the lead investor.
CONCACAF warned that football’s governing bodies must prioritise transparency and long-term stewardship of the sport, stressing that past governance failures should not be repeated.
The proposal has also sparked resistance in Asia. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, previously regarded as an ally of Infantino, cautioned member associations that FIFA’s unilateral approach risks undermining the foundations of continental football. He said the initiative would struggle to succeed without the backing of all six continental confederations.
Infantino has asked FIFA’s 211 member associations to approve the plan by mid-September. In return, he pledged to double the basic FIFA Forward funding for each association from $10 million to $20 million over the next four years and projected total funding of $86 million per association by 2038.
Meanwhile, a source close to Thrive Capital dismissed suggestions that the firm’s involvement was politically motivated because of Joshua Kushner’s family ties. The source insisted Kushner has no role in the U.S. administration, has not supported it financially, and built Thrive Capital into a successful investment firm independently.
The controversy comes just weeks before FIFA’s next major tournament, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland, adding further uncertainty to football’s global governance amid mounting opposition to the investment proposal.