Trump’s Son-in-Law’s Family Enters the Picture as FIFA’s Commercial Rights Plan Sparks European Backlash
FIFA’s plans to sell stakes in the commercial rights of its flagship tournaments to private investors have drawn sharp criticism from UEFA, while several European football associations are considering a boycott of future World Cups should the proposal move forward.
BY Dr. Hana Saada
ALGIERS — FIFA has unveiled plans to commercialize the rights to its flagship tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, by opening them to private investors, a move that has triggered strong opposition from European football authorities.
The world governing body is working with U.S. investment bank JPMorgan to establish a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise, aimed at raising capital through the sale of stakes in the commercial rights of the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, FIFA has pledged to increase development funding by more than $10 billion, with the additional resources to be redistributed among its 211 member associations worldwide.
Among the firms involved is Thrive Capital, an investment company founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, which is seeking to attract investors to the project.
The new commercial entity has been valued at approximately $20 billion. To proceed with the initiative, FIFA would need the backing of a majority of its member associations.
UEFA issued a strongly worded statement on Monday condemning the proposal, declaring that it “crosses a red line that football’s governing bodies should never cross.”
“This goes beyond a red line that football’s governing bodies should never cross,” UEFA said. “The essence of football and its governance are not assets to be bought and sold, particularly in the absence of full transparency regarding those who stand to benefit financially. None of us owns football. FIFA has no right to sell what it does not own.”
FIFA, for its part, said the new structure would increase annual funding allocated to each national association from $8 million to $20 million. It also stressed that private investors would acquire only minority stakes and would not exercise controlling authority over the new entity.
In a related development, Sky News reported that several European football associations are considering boycotting future FIFA World Cups if FIFA proceeds with plans to sell part of its commercial business to private investors.
According to the broadcaster, representatives of UEFA’s national associations are expected to hold an emergency online meeting this week, during which the possibility of a World Cup boycott will be discussed should FIFA decline to abandon the initiative.
The proposal has also drawn criticism from former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who opposed plans to sell stakes in the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors.
Blatter also commented on the close relationship between current FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump, arguing that it had moved beyond normal cooperation and taken on a financial dimension detrimental to world football.
“The close relationship between the FIFA president and the U.S. president has acquired a financial dimension that is causing significant harm to football,” Blatter wrote. “No one has the right to sell our game.”
— 𝐄𝐍𝐃 —
Dzair Tube Media Group | Record and Standing
Dzair Tube is a leading Algerian digital journalism platform, delivering high-quality content in Arabic, French, and English. With a daily readership exceeding 500,000, it has established itself among the country’s most influential media organizations.
Recognized for editorial excellence and integrity, Dzair Tube was awarded the President of the Republic’s Prize for Professional Journalist in the Electronic Press category on 22 October 2022. The platform operates from state-of-the-art studios, producing diverse programming across news, sports, culture, entertainment, and religion.
Dzair Tube maintains a robust digital presence, with over 600,000 YouTube subscribers, six million followers across Facebook pages, and more than 70,000 Instagram followers. Its sports daily, Dzair Sport, enjoys over 50,000 daily downloads via its official website, cementing its leadership in multimedia journalism.
Further recognized with the Media Leadership Award by former Minister of Communication Mohamed Laâgab and celebrated at the Hilals of Television awards, Dzair Tube continues to set benchmarks in innovation, influence, and public engagement, serving as a key forum for civic discourse, critical analysis, and public affairs.
Official website: www.dzair-tube.dz | English: www.dzair-tube.dz/en
