Uefa and PM criticise Infantino World Cup plan
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- FIFA announced plans for a subsidiary called Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) that would invite minority, non-controlling third-party investments to expand football development funding beyond $10bn (£7.5bn).
- Thrive Eternal, a venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner (brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared), is expected to lead the proposed investor group.
- Uefa condemned the proposal as crossing 'a line that football's governing institutions should never cross,' warning that expansion of FIFA competitions could threaten its own lucrative events.
- Andy Burnham wrote on X that football 'belongs to the fans' and accused FIFA of having 'sold out' by pursuing private investment in the World Cup.
- The proposal requires approval from FIFA's 211 member nations and could be voted on at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March; member associations would gain access to up to $20m (£15m) in one-off development capital.
- The Football Association said it was unaware of FIFA's plans when they were released.
- One senior English football executive told BBC Sport the announcement was the biggest story since the European Super League plan.
Why it matters: Every FIFA member association gains access to up to $20m (£15m) in one-off capital should the FFE subsidiary win approval from 211 member nations - but Uefa argues the expansion-driven model (pressure for a 64-team, biennial World Cup) directly competes with UEFA's own competitions and revenue. The Thrive Eternal link to Jared Kushner's brother adds a geopolitical dimension to what one executive called the biggest story since the European Super League.
