Washington, USA – FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing one of the biggest crises of his presidency, after reports revealed a plan to sell stakes in World Cup tournaments to an investment fund led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, which sparked widespread European objections and opened the door to moves within the US Congress.
These developments coincided with Infantino’s preparations to run in the upcoming FIFA presidential elections, amid concerns that his close relationship with Trump could turn from a source of strength into a political liability that could affect his future within the international federation.
Democrats threaten investigation
According to a report published by Politico, if Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee regain a majority in the midterm elections, they intend to open an investigation into FIFA’s relationship with the Trump administration, in addition to reviewing World Cup ticket sales policies.
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin has demanded access to documents relating to gifts given to Trump, Justice Department correspondence, and visitor logs for FIFA’s Miami headquarters and his office inside Trump Tower.
The report indicated that Democrats might also seek to summon Infantino to testify before Congress, if they have the necessary powers after the election.
Sensitive timing ahead of the FIFA elections
The crisis comes at a very sensitive time for the FIFA president, as the elections for the presidency of the international federation are to be held next March, while the deadline for nominations ends a few weeks before that, which may give potential rivals an opportunity to exploit any political or legal repercussions.
The report quoted a source familiar with the matter as saying that any change in the American political landscape, or the emergence of new information in the coming months, could encourage the emergence of a rival candidate to Infantino.
Investment deal with Kushner Fund
The crisis stems from a report published by the British newspaper The Times, which revealed FIFA’s efforts to sell stakes in World Cup tournaments through Thrive Eternal, the long-term investment arm of Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner.
The project aims to attract institutional investors and sovereign wealth funds from around the world, with JPMorgan Chase managing the investor search process.
Restructuring business activities
As part of the project, FIFA announced its intention to separate its commercial activities from its administrative structure by creating a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which will manage broadcasting rights, sponsorship, ticketing, hospitality and commercial licenses, while maintaining the international federation as a non-profit organization.
The plan stipulates that each of the 211 national member federations will be granted a stake in the new company worth approximately $20 million, should it agree to join the project.
Infantino said the next phase requires a new commercial structure that ensures increased revenues and their better distribution to national federations.
Trump’s relationship increases the pressure
The report suggests that the relationship between Infantino and Trump over the past years has become one of the reasons for the current controversy.
The relationship began when the Trump administration supported the joint bid of the United States, Canada, and Mexico to host the World Cup, before it developed further with FIFA opening an office inside Trump Tower and awarding the US president the first “Peace Prize” presented by the international federation.
The report also noted that Trump intervened during the World Cup by requesting a review of the suspension of one of the US national team players, before FIFA later decided to cancel the suspension.
UEFA attacks the project
The project sparked widespread objection within UEFA, the European football governing body, which issued a strongly worded statement asserting that football is not an investment asset that can be sold or traded.
UEFA called on national federations, leagues, clubs, players and governments to reject the project, stressing that the future of the game should not be subject to the logic of financial markets or lack transparency.
Several members of the European Parliament also criticized the plan, arguing that the World Cup belongs to the fans, federations and players, not to investment funds.
Infantino defends the project
In contrast, the FIFA president defended the project, stressing that its goal is to provide a more efficient business model that ensures the continued growth of the game globally.
He also attacked his critics in a lengthy post on his Instagram account, accusing them of spreading rumors and hatred, and asserting that FIFA continues to deliver the best football product in the world.
Does the crisis threaten the future of the FIFA president?
Despite the legal difficulties that any attempt to summon Infantino before Congress might face, the report indicated that FIFA’s expansion in the United States, with Miami serving as its regional headquarters until 2031, could give US lawmakers an opportunity to pursue any future investigations if the head of the international federation is present on US soil.
The report concludes by noting that Infantino’s project represents the biggest economic transformation in FIFA’s history, but at the same time it has opened an unprecedented confrontation with European football institutions and revived the debate about the limits of private investment in the management of the world’s most popular sport.
