Gianni Infantino stands to get a new job with a weekly wage of a staggering one million pounds if his controversial World Cup plans become a reality. Opposition rages – but FIFA insists that “no one sells football”.
FIFA has reportedly brought in the American major bank JP Morgan in an advisory role. If the plans are given the green light, Thrive Eternal is expected to buy a 20 percent stake in the lucrative project – a company led by Josh Kushner, brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Infantino, 56, developed a close relationship with Trump ahead of this summer’s World Cup tournament. Now it can pay off – literally.
Gianni Infantino wants to sell the World Cup to Donald Trump’s family for $10 billion
According to The Times, Infantino is expected to receive an impressive salary as a commissioner or CEO of the new company. He can earn almost one million pounds a week – equivalent to an annual salary of £47 million.
It will match the salary of the NFL commissioner and represent a huge jump from Infantino’s current annual salary of £4.46 million – which consists of a base salary of 2.45 million and performance bonuses of 2.08 million. – Which is a sickening lot for someone who doesn’t even need a hairdresser.
Boycott threats from all over the world
Infantino’s money-greedy plans have met with strong opposition from the football world. Uefa and its member states have threatened to boycott future FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup – if the plans go ahead.
One statement from Uefa reads:
The AFC (Asian Football Confederation) and CONCACAF have also expressed strong dissatisfaction. The AFC admits that it is upset that the plan was announced without consultation, and believes there are no clear details on how it will work.
FIFA: “No one sells football”
Despite the outrage, FIFA plans to move forward with raising private funding. The federation has responded to the criticism with a statement:
Despite the assurances, the opposition is massive – and Infantino’s dream of a weekly wage of one million pounds could be his ultimate downfall.
Fifa’s £15 billion World Cup sale sparks civil war in world football
FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to sell shares in the World Cup has sparked an unprecedented power struggle in world football. Now the battle lines are being drawn – between a united Western Front that threatens a total boycott, and smaller nations that are lured by Infantino’s promise of £30 million per country.
Who opposes the sale?
The opposition to the proposal is massive, fast and led by the sport’s most powerful confederations – with Europe at the forefront.
| Confederation | Reaction |
|---|---|
| Uefa (Europe) | In a historic unanimous vote of 55-0, the European Football Association decided to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA tournaments if the plan is adopted. |
| CONCACAF (North and Central America, Caribbean) | All 41 member states rejected the proposal unanimously. |
| AFC (Asia) | President Sheikh Salman expressed “great concern and disappointment” over Infantino’s lack of transparency. |
| Political leaders | Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy supported the boycott, declaring that football belongs to fans – not billionaire investors. |
| Sepp Blatter | The disgraced former FIFA president has also criticized Infantino. |
Who supports it?
Support for the plan is driven by Infantino’s administration and the promise of enormous economic gains to individual countries.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| FIFA leadership | Infantino is pursuing the deal aggressively, portraying it as a “democratic consultation” and a “golden opportunity” for global football development. |
| Private investors (Kushner family / Thrive Capital) | The American firm Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner – brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner – leads the billionaire group that buys into the World Cup. Wall Street giant JP Morgan also supports the project as FIFA’s financial advisor. |
| Small nations | Infantino’s core support depends on smaller, money-tight nations in developing regions that will be tempted by the guarantee of £30 million each. |
| Middle East | Insiders expect great investment interest from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Qatar – both with highly lucrative ties to Infantino’s regime. |
What happens next?
The proposal requires a simple majority – 50 percent plus one – of FIFA’s 211 member nations to be adopted. The vote is set for September 19.
Infantino can secure votes from smaller nations, but pushing the deal through without Europe and North America threatens to divide global football forever.
One thing is certain: the future of football is at stake.
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