FIFA Abandons Plan for $4.2 Billion World Cup Commercial Rights Sale
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has denied allegations that he sought support from US President Donald Trump after a plan to sell a minority stake in World Cup commercial rights fell apart.
The deal, valued at approximately $4.2 billion, aimed to raise funds by selling a minority stake in a new entity tied to World Cup commercial rights, with an overall valuation of around $20 billion.
The plan was reportedly scrapped due to backlash from FIFA's member federations and internal staff, who were not thrilled about handing over control of their crown jewel to private capital.
FIFA has already explored the digital assets space, launching its NFT platform, FIFA Collect, on the Avalanche blockchain, which has generated sales exceeding $25 million to date.