FIFA’s World Cup sale plan draws scrutiny over Kushner-Trump ties

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under pressure from US lawmakers and European football bodies over a proposal to sell a 20% stake in the World Cup to a private investment company. The plan, backed by Joshua Kushner’s investment fund Thrive Eternal, has drawn scrutiny because of the Kushner family’s close ties to former US president Donald Trump and links to the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. The House Judiciary Committee, led by ranking Democrat Jamie Raskin, has requested documents and summoned Infantino to testify.

The controversy centres on FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial spin-off that would sell shares in the World Cup’s future revenue streams. Critics argue that even a minority stake could give private investors outsized influence over the tournament’s governance, especially if Infantino remains in charge without independent oversight.

Key facts

Family connections at the centre

Joshua Kushner, 41, is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter Ivanka. Jared Kushner served as a senior adviser in the first Trump administration and later secured $2bn in funding from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) for his own investment vehicle, Affinity Fund Management. The New York Times reported that PIF advisers raised concerns about the deal’s inexperience and risk burden, but the PIF board, chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, approved it.

The family ties have drawn allegations of a conflict of interest. Raskin told Politico that FIFA was “going directly into business with the Trump family”, referencing the “fake Peace Prize” Infantino awarded Trump in December and FIFA’s lease of office space in Trump Tower, New York. “Apparently the fake Peace Prize and giant lease with Trump Tower weren’t enough – now Infantino performs a kickback hat-trick by pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal with Jared Kushner’s brother to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup to private investors,” Raskin said.

Joshua Kushner has defended his business ties, challenging critics to “point to a single decision we made that wasn’t in the interest of America”. He reportedly plans to approach sovereign wealth funds to “build a globally diversified investment base”.

Saudi link and World Cup hosting

The Saudi PIF is already a major player in football. It owns Newcastle United and has recently become a FIFA World Cup sponsor, with deals reportedly worth around $100m a year. Saudi Arabia is also set to host the 2034 World Cup, a bid driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The coincidence of the Kushner-affiliated fund leading the World Cup sale while the PIF is both a FIFA sponsor and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund that backed Jared Kushner’s prior deal has raised eyebrows. The US agreed a landmark civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia last week, and the two nations coordinated airstrikes on Iran-backed militias in Iraq, further warming ties under Trump’s second term.

What this means for football fans

For football’s global audience, the sale of a 20% stake in the World Cup could fundamentally alter the tournament’s structure. Critics argue that private investors could prioritise commercial returns over the integrity of the competition, potentially affecting everything from host selection to match scheduling. The involvement of the Trump family and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund adds a layer of political complexity that could influence FIFA’s governance.

The House Judiciary Committee’s investigation, combined with UEFA’s opposition, may slow or reshape the proposal. Infantino has been summoned to appear before the committee, and FIFA has been asked to provide documents related to gifts and benefits provided to Trump, as well as visitor logs for the Trump Tower office space.

Uncertainties remain

The exact terms of the minority stake are not yet public. Joshua Kushner has not confirmed the full investor list, and it remains unclear whether other sovereign wealth funds will join. The timeline for the sale is also unknown. The Guardian’s report relies on Politico’s coverage of Raskin’s statements and the New York Times’ reporting on the PIF-Affinity deal. FIFA has not yet released a formal response to the committee’s request.

Source: The Guardian – “Fifa’s sale of the century: how Kushners and Trump are at centre of a tangled web” (https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/30/fifas-sale-of-the-century-how-kushners-and-trump-are-at-centre-of-a-tangled-web)