UEFA's 55 members backed a boycott over the proposed sale of a 20-21% World Cup commercial stake, while prediction markets rose on reports of political outreach and deepening internal dissent.
FIFA abandoned Gianni Infantino's plan to create FIFA Forward Enterprises and sell a 20-21% stake in a new World Cup commercial entity for about $4.2 billion after fierce opposition led by UEFA and resistance from CONCACAF. The proposal, which identified Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital as lead investor and carried revenue figures ranging from a $20 billion target for the structure to Carlos Cordeiro's estimate of $15 billion over a World Cup cycle, would have put the tournament's commercial rights into a vehicle designed for outside capital. FIFA had offered each of its 211 member associations an immediate $20 million payout, with projected long-term gains potentially reaching $86 million per association by 2038. After the collapse, scrutiny of Infantino intensified, with resignation calls, reported internal dissent, Carlos Cordeiro's resignation, and Polymarket traders raising the probability of his leaving by December 31 following an unverified New York Post report that he sought help from the Trump administration and arranged a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.