FIFA privatization plan draws Real Madrid criticism

FIFA announced a plan to sell a 20% stake in its commercial arm, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to a consortium led by investor Joshua Kushner, the brother‑in‑law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Senior FIFA executives were summoned to a hurried meeting at New York’s Waldorf Astoria, where they faced a midnight deadline to approve the deal. Three members signed off while two refused.

The proposal triggered swift opposition from UEFA, La Liga and Real Madrid. The Spanish club issued a statement calling the decision “good news for football” and accused President Gianni Infantino of double standards, noting that Real Madrid itself is preparing a €1 billion commercial fund. The club’s criticism highlighted its own ongoing monetisation of Bernabéu rights and questioned the fairness of forcing other clubs to “mortgage” future income.

The controversy underscores tensions between football’s governing bodies and major clubs over the commercial future of the sport.