How FIFA plans to sell a stake in the World Cup — and why this has sparked outrage

5 min readNew DelhiJul 30, 2026 06:30 AM IST FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been criticised for an unusually cosy relationship with US President Donald Trump. APFIFA and its president Gianni Infantino sparked widespread uproar when they announced the formation of a new entity called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) that would control the commercial aspects of football’s global governing body. Part of the proposal is to sell a minority stake in the newly-formed company that will effectively run the World Cup, the Club World Cup, and all other events organised by it — a proclamation that drew instant condemnation from the European, Asian and North and Central American footballing confederations.What raised eyebrows even more was that Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle headed by Josh