FIFA recently unveiled plans to create a $20 billion commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), for which it intends to sell roughly a 20% stake to minority investors, including a firm owned by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner. This initiative aims to increase the revenue generated from the World Cup and other FIFA assets, promising an initial $20 million payout to each national federation for the upcoming World Cup cycle, with anticipated increases for subsequent cycles. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has set a deadline of September 19 for federations to approve this plan, offering an additional $20 million "fast forward" incentive for early acceptance.

The proposal immediately drew fierce criticism, especially from European soccer authorities. UEFA condemned the move as a lack of transparency and an inappropriate treatment of football’s governance as a tradable asset, asserting, “It is not FIFA’s to sell.” European Leagues representing major European domestic leagues also rejected the plan, calling it reckless and divisive, while figures such as LaLiga’s Javier Tebas and the UK’s newly appointed Prime Minister emphasized that the World Cup should not be treated like a commercial product. The Football Supporters' Association and the players’ union FIFPRO Europe echoed concerns that financial interests were overtaking football's core values.

The North American and Asian soccer confederations expressed their frustration not with the plan itself but with FIFA's failure to consult them ahead of the announcement. Both Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation criticized the lack of due process and governance, highlighting the need for inclusive dialogue in decisions of this magnitude. The English Football Association also voiced concerns about the opacity and rushed nature of the plan, underscoring the broader unease across the global soccer community about FIFA’s unilateral approach.

Despite resistance from powerful continental bodies, FIFA’s governance structure, where each of its 211 national member federations holds an equal vote regardless of size or influence, could enable the measure’s approval if a majority supports it. This dynamics may empower smaller nations to accept the cash incentives, even as UEFA considers extreme options such as boycotting the World Cup in protest. Infantino’s plan has intensified existing tensions between FIFA and UEFA, continuing a long-running power struggle over football’s commercial and political future.