Venture capitalist Joshua Kushner has stated he regrets his involvement in FIFA President Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. Kushner indicated that if he had anticipated the strong reaction from the global football community, Thrive, the investment firm he founded, would not have become involved.
"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," Kushner said in a statement. "Thrive has a long track record of being a partner to all constituents. Had we known what this would devolve into, we would not have gotten involved."
The plan, known as Football Future Earning (FFE), aimed to distribute capital and equity more broadly among FIFA's 211 member countries. Kushner asserted that the objective was to provide increased investment to underdeveloped nations to foster local talent, support grassroots football, enhance the fan experience, and ultimately grow the global game. He emphasized that the proposal was intended for every member association to vote on, not as an obligation.
FIFA had stated in late July, shortly before the plan was scrapped, that Thrive Eternal was expected to lead the investor group. The organization claimed the FFE would have increased funding distributed to each national association for the 2027-2030 cycle from approximately $7.4 million (£5.9 million) to $18.4 million (£14.7 million).
UEFA has sought court approval in New York for subpoenas seeking testimony and documents from both Kushner and Thrive as it considers lodging a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland. European football's governing body has been a leading opponent of Infantino, who is facing calls to step down.
UEFA's lawyers argue that the World Cup was undervalued at around $19 billion (£15 billion), a figure they claim was not the result of an open, competitive auction or tested by an independent valuer. They also contend that Infantino failed to consult FIFA's leadership regarding the plan. UEFA has requested disclosure of documents from two FIFA businesses in the U.S. and from American financier Greg Maffei, a key advisor on the deal. While UEFA states that neither Kushner nor Maffei are expected to be defendants in any legal proceedings, it claims they first discussed the FFE concept in July 2025. The organization's lawyers also argue that Infantino had been discussing the underlying concept with Kushner for nearly a year before the terms sheet was signed.
Kushner has recently agreed to a deal to purchase the basketball team Los Angeles Lakers for a reported $12.5 billion.