Joshua Kushner's $4.2bn FIFA stake bid draws UEFA backlash

American billionaire Joshua Kushner, founder of the venture firm Thrive Capital, entered talks with FIFA president Gianni Infantino to purchase roughly 20% of a proposed commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The new entity, valued at about $20 billion, would manage rights, sponsorships and licensing for all FIFA competitions. Kushner’s group offered to invest up to $4.2 billion, with a plan to distribute $20 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations.

The proposal triggered strong opposition from UEFA and several national football associations, which warned of possible boycotts and warned that the deal could amount to a partial privatization of the World Cup. While the football community debated the move, Kushner’s wealth largely stems from early and large‑scale investments in OpenAI, where Thrive Capital has contributed roughly $3.5 billion and now holds a stake valued at about $16.9 billion.