Venture capitalist Josh Kushner and his firm Thrive Capital may face subpoenas as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) seeks evidence for a potential criminal case in Switzerland against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. UEFA made the request to a Manhattan federal judge, seeking documents and depositions related to the collapse of Infantino's $20 billion plan to spin off FIFA's commercial assets, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise.
According to a 56-page court filing, UEFA alleges Kushner, brother of former White House advisor Jared Kushner, was part of a select group that developed the controversial proposal. The plan aimed to raise approximately $4.2 billion from outside investors in exchange for a permanent stake in the commercial arm associated with the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cups.
UEFA stated it is contemplating criminal proceedings against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials for criminal mismanagement. The filing notes that the allegations have not been proven and that Kushner and Thrive Capital have not been accused of a crime; they are identified as potential sources of evidence.
The court document claims Kushner and Infantino discussed the concept for nearly a year before a terms sheet was finalized. The proposal's origins are traced to July 2025, when Kushner reportedly approached former Liberty Media executive Greg Maffei at the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley, Idaho. Kushner's discussions with Maffei, who later became Infantino’s key commercial adviser on the deal, are cited in UEFA's filing. Kushner was reportedly involved in early discussions while Thrive Eternal, his investment vehicle, was slated to lead the investor group.
UEFA asserts that this arrangement was part of a flawed process, where FIFA's governing bodies and senior executives were allegedly kept uninformed while Infantino and a small circle of advisers developed the proposal. The plan became public on July 28 when Infantino announced a new FIFA-controlled subsidiary intended to raise about $4.2 billion, implying a valuation of roughly $20 billion.
The proposal faced immediate opposition from all 55 UEFA member nations, who threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the deal proceeded. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation also expressed opposition, and backlash emerged within FIFA itself.
Josh Kushner, who recently led an investor group in a bid to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for over $12 billion, has not yet publicly commented on the UEFA filing. FIFA and Greg Maffei also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.