Kushner expresses regret over proposed World Cup stake sale

Joshua Kushner, who had been set to act as the lead investor in Gianni Infantino's shelved plan to sell stakes in the World Cup under the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, said in his first public comments on 31 August 2026 that he regretted joining the proposal. He told reporters: "Had we known what this would devolve into, we would not have gotten involved" and added he had "failed to appreciate the political dynamics of global football".

Kushner, who founded Thrive Capital in 2009, defended the aims of the FFE plan in a statement while acknowledging its fallout. "Money in football has historically been concentrated amongst a small group of countries," he said, and described the intention of FFE as to "direct more capital and equity equally amongst all 211 member countries, providing significantly more investment to underdeveloped nations to nurture local talent, support grassroots football, enhance the fan experience, and ultimately grow the global game everywhere." He also said the proposal "was an idea that every member association would vote on, not an obligation or determination."

Thrive Eternal, a firm founded by Kushner, who is the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared, held talks with Infantino about leading a $4.2bn (£3.1bn) investment for a 20% stake in a proposed new Fifa commercial subsidiary. The proposal was abandoned days after it was revealed in July amid a huge backlash.

European football's governing body Uefa has asked a court in New York to approve subpoenas for testimony and documents from both Kushner and Thrive as it considers lodging a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland. Uefa has led the rebellion against the Fifa president, who is facing calls to stand down.

Uefa's lawyers have also filed papers seeking disclosure from two Fifa businesses in the US and from American financier Greg Maffei, who is described in the documents as a key adviser on the deal. While Uefa has made clear that neither Kushner nor Maffei are anticipated defendants in any legal proceedings, its court submission alleges Infantino "unilaterally designated Thrive Eternal…to lead the investor group" and contends the World Cup was valued at around £15bn, "a figure that was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer". The filing further claims Infantino failed to consult Fifa's hierarchy over the plan.

Kushner said "While we stand behind the motivations of FFE, we failed to appreciate the political dynamics of global football, and the lengths some would go to. Thrive has a long track record of being a partner to all constituents."

Kushner has recently agreed a deal to buy basketball's Los Angeles Lakers for a record $12.5bn (£9.3bn).