Gianni Infantino drops plan to open World Cup to private investors | OneFootball

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has scrapped his plan to open the World Cup to private investors, he said in a statement published overnight on Saturday.

The proposal envisaged selling a 20% stake to raise 4.2 billion dollars, 3.6 billion euros, with Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, identified as the first candidate.

After listening to all viewpoints, the project was judged to have created divisions that no longer served its stated aim to unite and progress, so it will not proceed.

Resistance from football’s confederations had mounted. UEFA had threatened to boycott the 2030 World Cup, and Concacaf had rejected the proposal.

Carlos Cordeiro, a senior adviser to Infantino at FIFA, resigned on Friday in opposition. Kevin Lamour, the number three, had already distanced himself from the plan.

Source: L'Équipe