Thrive Capital founder Josh Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, was set to lead a group of investors into one of soccer's most valuable commercial assets before the plan collapsed under industry-wide opposition. The proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, would have created a commercial subsidiary controlling World Cup broadcasting, licensing and ticket sales. Kushner's group, which included BANN Ventures CEO Greg Maffei, planned to invest up to $4.2 billion for roughly 20% ownership, implying a valuation of about $20 billion for the entity. Member soccer associations were promised $20 million each in immediate development funding as part of the deal.
Governance concerns from soccer's biggest bodies
The plan was developed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino alongside a small advisory group, but it never won over soccer's governing structure. UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation all rejected it, objecting to the introduction of profit-seeking private investors into what has traditionally been a nonprofit World Cup structure. UEFA went further, alleging that Infantino bypassed proper governance procedures and excluded member associations from the decision-making process, and is reportedly preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland over how the plan was developed. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter was also a vocal critic of the proposal.
Scrapped, with reelection looming
FIFA ultimately scrapped the FIFA Forward Enterprise in late July 2026. Kushner, reflecting on how the deal unraveled, said plainly that "we would not have gotten involved" had he known how it would end. The episode lands at a difficult moment for Infantino, who faces a competitive reelection battle in March 2027, with the failed plan now a visible example of the governance friction between FIFA's leadership and the confederations that make up its membership.