Key facts
- Fifa abandoned plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup.
- The U-turn followed significant opposition.
- Opposition included threats of boycotts.
- Opposition included calls for President Gianni Infantino's resignation.
- Tech investors had sought to invest in the tournament.
- Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal led the investor interest.
- Investors viewed sport as resilient to AI disruption.
Fifa has abandoned its plans to sell a minority stake in the World Cup after encountering significant opposition from various stakeholders. The decision to reverse course came after widespread criticism, including threats of boycotts and demands for the resignation of President Gianni Infantino. Tech investors had expressed interest in acquiring a stake in the lucrative tournament. Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal was identified as a lead investor in this group. These investors reportedly viewed sports, and specifically the World Cup, as a resilient asset class, less susceptible to disruption from artificial intelligence. The exact details of the proposed stake sale and the extent of investor interest were not fully disclosed, but the opposition was sufficient to prompt Fifa to abandon the initiative.