Infantino Keeps FIFA Presidency After Dropping $4.2 bn World Cup Rights Sale

FIFA privatization Infantino presidency World Cup commercial rights UEFA boycott Joshua Kushner

FIFA President Gianni Infantino remains in office after the FIFA board and council reaffirmed their support for him. The organization abandoned a plan to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup commercial‑rights company, a deal that would have generated roughly $4.2 billion. The proposal had been linked to a private investor group led by U.S. businessman Joshua Kushner.

European football bodies, notably UEFA and CONCACAF, publicly expressed no confidence in Infantino and threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the privatisation plan was not scrapped. FIFA issued an apology letter to national associations for the mishandled proposal. In a separate development, Infantino reportedly promised that the final of the 2030 World Cup would be staged in Rabat, Morocco, during a summit with African federations.

The controversy has drawn criticism from former players, senior officials and a number of national football associations, while the FIFA leadership continues to back Infantino’s bid for re‑election in 2027.

Entities: CONCACAF · FIFA · Gianni Infantino · Joshua Kushner · Morocco · Rabat · Spain · UEFA

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] UEFA announced it would boycott FIFA competitions if the privatisation plan was not abandoned. (multiple)
[● 2 SOURCES] Gianni Infantino will remain FIFA president after board members backed him. (multiple)
[● 4 SOURCES] CONCACAF expressed no confidence in Infantino over the privatisation proposal. (multiple)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Over 200 national football associations have declared support or opposition to Infantino’s re‑election bid. (Compilation of association statements)
[● 2 SOURCES] FIFA sent an apology letter to national football associations for mistakes in the privatisation plan. (multiple)
[● 4 SOURCES] FIFA abandoned a plan to sell 20% of World Cup commercial rights, which would have raised about $4.2 billion. (multiple)
[● 2 SOURCES] FIFA Council members renewed full support for Infantino after the Rabat meeting. (multiple)
[● 2 SOURCES] A private investor group led by Joshua Kushner was set to receive about 20% of the World Cup commercial rights. (multiple)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Infantino promised that the 2030 World Cup final would be held in Rabat, Morocco. (article)