Fifa, private equity and football: a world gone wrong

European football’s resistance to Gianni Infantino’s plan for private equity stakes in the World Cup is being treated as a major line in the sand. UEFA has scotched the proposal to sell interests through a projected “Fifa Forward Enterprise,” forcing Infantino to drop it under threat of a World Cup boycott. The move adds to concerns about pricing and access: dynamic pricing and potential $1,000-plus ticket prices, plus paywalls that critics say would shut out poorer fans. The controversy also includes allegations of personal conflicts tied to Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, and follows earlier anti-corruption reforms after Sepp Blatter’s fall. The outcome leaves Infantino under serious pressure.