Inside the FIFA Crisis of 2026: How Infantino's Secret Kushner Deal United the Soccer World Against Him

In late July 2026, FIFA President Gianni Infantino championed a secret plan to sell a 20% minority stake in the organization's commercial rights — including future World Cups — to a group of private investors led by Joshua Kushner's Thrive Capital . The deal, valued at roughly $20 billion, would have created a new commercial subsidiary called "FIFA Forward Enterprise" and fundamentally changed how the world's most popular sporting event is financed and governed . Instead, it triggered the most severe institutional crisis in FIFA's recent history .

The Plan That Started It All

Infantino intended to announce the privatization scheme on the eve of the 2026 World Cup final at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City — a venue with direct ties to the Trump family . However, news of the deal leaked early through The Times of London, setting off a chain reaction that would end Infantino's proposal and threaten his presidency .

The plan offered each of FIFA's 211 member associations a one-time payment of approximately $20 million if they accepted the deal, with a deadline of September 19, 2026 . Critics immediately denounced what UEFA later called a "shabby, backroom deal" that would "mortgage football's future" .

A Cross-Continental Revolt

The backlash was immediate, historic, and unified across three continents that rarely align on FIFA governance .

• UEFA held an emergency meeting of all 55 member associations on July 30, 2026. They voted unanimously to boycott all FIFA competitions — including future men's and women's World Cups — unless the plan was withdrawn . UEFA declared it had "lost confidence" in Infantino's leadership and demanded his resignation .
• CONCACAF (North America, Central America, Caribbean) rejected the plan the same day and called for a "full review" of FIFA's leadership . Notably, CONCACAF includes the 2026 World Cup hosts — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and had been Infantino's closest allies in organizing the tournament .
• AFC (Asia) joined the opposition, citing "fundamental concerns" about the proposal and highlighting "fundamental weaknesses in FIFA's consultation and decision-making processes" .

This alliance of UEFA (55 nations), CONCACAF (41 nations), and AFC (46 nations) represented a wall of opposition from 142 of FIFA's 211 member associations .

Collapse and Immediate Fallout

On July 31, just days after the plan was publicly revealed, Infantino scrapped the plan entirely, saying in a statement that "it has become clear that the project has created divisions of a nature that, regardless of the level of support, are no longer in the interest of the objective" .

But the about-face did not satisfy critics :

• Senior advisor resignation: Carlos Cordeiro, Infantino's senior advisor on global strategy and governance, resigned in protest, calling the proposal "a bad deal for football" that would "mortgage football's future" .
• Legal threats: UEFA warned FIFA and Joshua Kushner personally that it was considering "legal action, arbitration, and/or regulatory complaints" related to the proposals . UEFA also demanded that all documents related to the plan be preserved .
• Political condemnation: U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham called Infantino "the wrong man" to lead FIFA .

Infantino's Political Lifeline Fails

A crucial complicating factor was Infantino's long-cultivated relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and his family .

Infantino had:

• Awarded Trump the newly created FIFA Peace Prize
• Lobbied for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize
• Scheduled the plan's announcement at Trump-connected venues
• Development a close relationship with Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, who had arranged Infantino's first White House meeting in 2018

After the plan collapsed, multiple reports indicated that Infantino sought support from the Trump administration — reportedly contacting Secretary of State Marco Rubio and trying to reach Trump directly . FIFA officially denied that Infantino had made any calls to the White House, calling the reports "pure fiction" . Regardless, the perception of entanglement with Trump family interests deepened the crisis .

U.S. House Democrats, led by Representative Jamie Raskin (ranking member of the Judiciary Committee), opened scrutiny, with Raskin telling Politico that FIFA was "going directly into business with the Trump family" .

The Election Crisis: March 2027

Infantino had announced his candidacy for a fourth term in April 2026 and claimed endorsements from more than 200 of FIFA's 211 member associations just weeks before the crisis . But the privatization collapse has fundamentally altered the political landscape .

The FIFA presidential election is set for the 77th FIFA Congress on March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco . The nomination deadline for candidates is November 18, 2026 .

Potential challengers are now emerging:

• Victor Montagliani: The CONCACAF chief is reportedly "making moves" toward mounting a challenge .
• Nasser Al-Khelaifi: The Paris Saint-Germain president is being floated by European federations as a potential heavyweight candidate .

UEFA has stated it is actively searching for a candidate to run against Infantino . The alliance of UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC is reportedly prepared to take further steps, including potentially hosting rival international tournaments if Infantino refuses to step down and wins re-election .

What This Means for FIFA

The crisis represents Infantino's first major political defeat since taking office in 2016 . It has exposed the limits of his power and raised fundamental questions about FIFA's governance, its relationship with private capital, and the independence of soccer's governing body from political interests .

The key factor that remains uncertain is whether Infantino's pre-crisis endorsements from over 200 associations will hold . The secret ballot at the 2027 Congress creates an opportunity for defections: each of the 211 member associations casts one vote, and a candidate needs either a two-thirds majority in the first round or a simple majority in subsequent rounds to win .

While Infantino has apologized for "errors" and stated he intends to stay on, the rebellion has not stopped — it has shifted from opposing a single plan to demanding his removal before the 2027 election . Legal threats, political fallout, and speculation about rival competitions are now on the table .