Gianni Infantino's World Cup stake sale triggers revolt

Just 24 hours after the world football governing body, FIFA, dropped a bombshell proposal to sell off a private stake in the World Cup, the global football fraternity is locked in an escalating civil war.

 What began with a leaked corporate restructuring plan has now transformed into a high-stakes showdown over what some call the “soul” and “ownership” of the world's biggest and most popular game.

At the centre of the storm stands FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Faced with scathing criticism from continental confederations, government regulators, and fans, the Swiss-Italian has gone on the offensive, insisting his controversial $20 billion (Sh2.5 trillion) commercial vehicle is merely an ‘opportunity, not an obligation.”

Yet behind the diplomatic wording lies a glaring ultimatum delivered directly to member federations. Back my plan by September 19, 2026, or watch millions in financial payouts vanish.

Under the proposed scheme, FIFA plans to establish a private commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to manage commercial and event operations for major international tournaments, including the World Cup.

By offloading a minority stake of up to 20 per cent to private equity investors and financial giants, FIFA aims to raise approximately $4.2 billion (approx Sh543 billion).

To win over the electorate that keeps him in power, Infantino sent a five-page letter to all 211 member associations, including the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), offering a financial package totalling $40 million (approx. Sh5.1 billion) per country over the upcoming cycle, provided they approve the deal by the set deadline. Should the proposal fail, member federations would get the standard $2.7 billion (approx Sh347 billion) expansion model, yielding just $10 million (approx Sh1.29 billion) per nation.

"Should you wish to retain the status quo and reject this proposal, we still have our planned expansion of the Forward programme," said Infantino, after a widespread negative wave of criticism came his way.

"Hands off our game”

The pushback has been far from quiet. Unsurprisingly, just like when the European Super League in April 2021, the rejection was brutal, swift and unified across major regional football blocs.

European football’s governing body UEFA delivered a stinging rebuke, stating point-blank that the World Cup was ‘not an asset to trade.’

EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef called out the move as well, saying a possible alignment of FIFA’s regulatory powers with the financial interests of private entities was a big concern for Europe.

“The relentless commercialisation of football has become corrosive,” he posted on X.

Both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation for North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) issued joint concerns, revealing they were completely blindsided and learned of the plan through media reports rather than official governance channels.

UK political figures and fan advocacy groups also slammed the move as a ‘nuclear bomb’ dropped on the sport's traditions, accusing FIFA of commodifying international football for short-term corporate capital. Opponents have unreservedly labelled the $40 million sweetener as ‘pure bribery.’

Former FIFA President Josep Blatter blasted Infantino’s close relationship with US President Donald Trump, saying it had reached a “financial dimension that is deeply damaging football."

Infantino, to defend the project, released a video dismissing the outrage while framing the initiative as still a discussion to be had on paper. While wealthy European and Asian nations can afford to reject private equity money, the dynamic is vastly different across developing football regions. For member bodies like the FKF and other cash-strapped African associations, a $40 million payout might be a game-changing windfall.

"FFE is actually a proposal, an offer. It is part of a democratic process, a consultation process, and above all, it is an opportunity, but not an obligation," said Infantino on Tuesday.