FIFA
FIFA says the $20 billion plan is optional and that money raised would be reinvested into football development worldwide Dexerto/X

Football fans, US lawmakers, and Europe's top federations have turned on FIFA after it confirmed plans to sell a fifth of the World Cup's commercial rights to a group led by a firm founded by Joshua Kushner, Jared Kushner's brother.

The revolt hardened on Thursday when the 55 members of European football's governing body, UEFA, voted unanimously, 55 to 0, to boycott every FIFA competition, including the 2030 World Cup, unless the plan is abandoned entirely.

Why the Kushner Link Rattled Fans

FIFA, the sport's global governing body, announced on Tuesday that it would move its commercial rights, ticketing, sponsorship, and broadcasting into a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), valued at about $20 billion (£15 billion). Thrive Eternal, the permanent-capital arm of Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital, is expected to lead a group buying up to a 20% stake, with J.P. Morgan advising as a strategic partner.

For many American fans, the sting was the Trump connection. Joshua Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law, and Infantino has spent the past year moving closer to the White House during a tournament co-hosted by the US.

Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee branded the deal a 'kickback hat trick' on X, linking it to the FIFA 'peace prize' given to Trump and a Trump Tower lease. Football Supporters Europe posted 'Game over, Gianni' with the hashtag InfantinOUT. The anger built on months of fan frustration, from a prize many mocked as pathetic to record World Cup ticket prices.

Europe Votes To Walk Away

UEFA's boycott would keep world champions Spain, along with England, France, and Germany, out of the next World Cup. 'The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever,' the body said, adding that 'some things are simply too important to sell' and that the World Cup 'is not for sale'.

Concacaf, the confederation covering the US, Canada, and Mexico, also rejected the plan. That places the pushback inside the three nations that co-hosted this summer's tournament, so the fight is not, as some Americans assume, only a European revolt.

What a Sale Could Mean for US Fans

The fight is not abstract for supporters still angry over ticket prices that hit $4,185 (£3,112) for a seat at the final. UEFA's warning is blunt. Once investors expect a return, that pressure can reach fans through costlier tickets, more paywalls, and a commercial return that becomes, in the body's words, a permanent obligation.

FIFA says the money raised, up to $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion), would go back into the game. Under Infantino's offer, basic funding for each of the 211 member associations would double to $20 million (£15 million), with a deadline of 19 September to decide.

Infantino Says the Game Won't Change

Infantino has cast the sale as a choice, not a command. 'It's a proposal, an offer, not an obligation,' he said in a video statement, calling it a chance to fund football worldwide. FIFA insists it keeps full control of competitions, the calendar, and governance.

Thrive has pushed back on the political framing. A source close to the firm told CBS News that Kushner holds no role in the administration, has not donated to it, and gives mainly to Democratic causes. Whether that reassures fans before the September vote is another matter.

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