There are no more perfect bedfellows on planet earth than FIFA and private equity. So while this story will send a shiver down your spine, it’s not in the least bit shocking.
After an incredibly successful North American World Cup that saw record ratings and revenue, the money-hungry governing body of world soccer is on the hunt for more. This year’s World Cup was a fever dream when it came to the control that FIFA had in squeezing out every possible ounce of revenue. There was controversy over insanely high ticket prices, blacking out of stadium names that weren’t FIFA sponsors, and, of course, the institution of hydration breaks that were an excuse to break up the game into a four-quarter affair filled with even more commercial advertising.
But after all the drama and controversy, the tournament itself was a remarkable celebration of the best of sport thanks to the athletes and fans that came to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Spain’s victory and the incredible superstar performances made it a truly generational event that will be remembered fondly as one of the best international sporting events in years.
And now FIFA is looking to cash in even more.
According to a report in the Times in the UK, FIFA is now exploring what would seem to rational minds to be an unthinkable betrayal of the beautiful game, putting the World Cup itself up for sale.
FIFA is reportedly working with JPMorgan to raise billions of dollars in new revenue by selling a 20% stake in a new commercial entity centered around its global showcase event to investors with close ties to the Trump administration, namely Josh Kushner.
Of course, this wouldn’t be FIFA if there wasn’t some generational corruption angle to the story. And Times reporter Martyn Ziegler adds on social media that FIFA president Gianni Infantino himself could stand to make tens of millions of dollars personally from the investments.
EXCLUSIVE: Fifa’s president Gianni Infantino is planning to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors under a scheme that could potentially earn him tens of millions of pounds.
Investor discussions held with figures close to the Trump administration, say sources.… — Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) July 28, 2026
FIFA’s history is lined with story after story of corruption and bribes. It’s as core to FIFA’s identity as the sport of soccer itself. And little has changed with the Qatar World Cup, the relationship between Infantino and FIFA Peace Prize winner and Iran War starter President Donald Trump, and even the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s red card at this year’s tournament. FIFA even paid the price for its questionable maneuvering when it was forced to give Fox what ended up being a huge discount for the rights to the 2026 tournament after moving the 2022 edition to the winter months.
Private equity has been itching to make more and more of an impact in the sports world, moving on from just being content to purchasing teams to exploring investments in things like college football conferences. Getting a piece of the World Cup itself could lead to insane revenues, but at what cost to the tournament and soccer fans alike? Sponsors on national team jerseys? More “hydration breaks” to maximize profits? Expansion to 64 teams or even more would be inevitable. Automatic qualification for the biggest nations might not even be out of bounds to ensure the most eyeballs possible.
The combination of FIFA, Trump, and private equity seems like a nightmare scenario for anything resembling keeping the integrity of the World Cup and global soccer intact. The possible corruption and unpopularity of these three forces coming together is almost impossible to measure properly. If the World Cup itself is literally up for bid, then it feels like anything is now possible when money comes first. The only thing that could make it worse is a World Cup crypto coin with Trump and Infantino’s branding that could be rug pulled for a huge profit. But who’s to say that’s not coming soon?
Source: Awful Announcing
