Infantino’s Plan to Commercialise the World Cup Raises Alarm

Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, is pushing a proposal to create a new company that would own the World Cup and sell equity stakes to private investors. The scheme would give the company control over future tournaments and allow member associations to sell any shares they receive. Proponents argue the model could generate “astonishing sums” for investors, while critics warn it would turn football’s premier event into a profit-driven enterprise.

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The proposal envisions two main avenues for boosting FIFA’s revenue: expanding the finals from 32 to 64 teams and shortening the interval between editions. An expanded field would add more matches, advertising slots and broadcast rights, while staging the tournament more frequently—potentially every two years—would increase the number of sellable shares. The plan also references the 2026 World Cup, which featured 72 group-stage games compared with the 24 in the 1970 edition, illustrating how the competition has already become more extensive.

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Supporters estimate a 64-team format could raise an additional $2.5 billion in broadcast revenue over the current 32-team model. The Spanish government, which expects to host the 2030 World Cup, has projected that the event would inject €7-8 billion into its economy and create roughly 170,000 jobs directly or indirectly. Under the new structure, every FIFA member would receive a share in the World Cup company, but those shares could be sold on the open market, allowing even small federations—such as the Gambia or the Gambia Football Federation—to profit by transferring ownership to wealthy investors.

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UEFA has positioned itself as the primary obstacle to Infantino’s scheme, signalling opposition to the commercial model. The Spanish government, meanwhile, has dismissed the prospect of a boycott, noting the nation’s recent World Cup success and the projected economic benefits. They point to past expansions—such as the 2026 edition that allowed eight nations to qualify with only a single win—to illustrate how a larger field could dilute quality.

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If implemented, the plan could shift football’s power balance toward investors and away from the sport’s traditional governing bodies. Frequent or larger tournaments might diminish the World Cup’s unique prestige, while the ability to trade shares could invite influence from nations or corporations with deep pockets, potentially reshaping where and how future World Cups are staged. The debate now centres on whether the financial gains justify altering the competition that has defined global football for decades.

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