Selling the World Cup? FIFA's dramatic move revealed
The international football association is preparing a major reorganization by establishing a new commercial entity. Part of the company will be sold to private investors, while investment bank JPMorgan is leading talks to inject billions of dollars into the organization.
FIFA, the international football association, is planning a large-scale financial move that may fundamentally change the way it manages its business operations. According to reports, the organization is considering the establishment of a new commercial entity valued at approximately $20 billion, with a portion of it to be sold to private investors.
As part of this strategy, FIFA is considering selling up to 20% of the new company—a deal that could inject billions of dollars into the organization. Negotiations with investors are being led by the American investment bank JPMorgan, and Greg Maffei, former CEO of Liberty Media—the company that turned Formula 1 into a successful global sports brand—is serving as an advisor on the new structure.
The expected lead investor in this deal is the Thrive Eternal fund, an investment arm of Thrive Capital owned by businessman Joshua Kushner. Joining the fund as a senior advisor is Bob Iger, former CEO of Disney; the fund focuses on long-term investments in the fields of culture and sports. Recently, the fund also acquired a minority stake in the San Francisco Giants baseball team.
The significance of this move lies in the separation between FIFA's regulatory functions and its commercial activities, which include broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandise, and sporting events. Through this new entity, the organization seeks to operate its business as an independent commercial company and increase its revenue streams.
This move reflects a broader trend in the world of sports, where major organizations are bringing in private capital and experts from the media and investment sectors to better exploit digital rights, global audiences, and mega-events such as the 2026 World Cup and the Club World Cup.
