Infantino abandoned his World Cup equity plan; here's what to know

Gianni Infantino abandoned FIFA’s proposed equity plan after a backlash tied to inviting private investors into future World Cup profits, according to reports from Aug. 1, 2026, from Geneva. The plan would have created FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) for the commercial side of FIFA’s otherwise nonprofit work, seeking roughly $4.2 billion from investors buying stakes around 20% and valuing equity at $20 billion. FIFA also offered each of its 211 member federations $20 million if they backed the proposal by Sept. 19. Infantino said the project created divisions no longer aligned with FIFA’s objectives, and his level of support remains unclear.