Opposition is mounting within world football to a FIFA plan to spin off its major events, chiefly the World Cup, into a separate commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, worth an estimated $20 billion, with roughly 20% of it to be sold to outside investors. Critics, including the North American, Central American and Caribbean confederation Concacaf and European governing body UEFA, argue that the tournament's governance is being sold off without proper consultation, and UEFA is fast-tracking an emergency meeting of its member associations this week to discuss options, including a possible World Cup boycott.

Among the reported potential investors is Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared, a link that has fuelled scrutiny of FIFA president Gianni Infantino's ties to the Trump family. FIFA's 211 member associations must ratify the plan, with Concacaf representing 41 of them and UEFA 55; the proposal would raise annual payments to members from $2 million to $5 million, plus a one-off $20 million payment each. Infantino has defended the move as "the democratisation of football", while opponents, including UK prime minister Andy Burnham and fan group Football Supporters Europe, insist the World Cup is not FIFA's to sell.