The billion-dollar scheme: What Trump truly wanted from FIFA

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures next to Jared Kushner at Ben Gurion International Airport, amid a U.S.-brokered prisoner-hostage swap and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in Lod, Israel, October 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and foreign policy adviser, real estate developer Jared Kushner, has always aroused controversy, from making money during his government globetrekking and trying to build a controversial resort in Albania to initially failing to be approved for a national security clearance.

Now it appears Kushner is trying to develop a large financial stake in the world’s most popular sporting league — and the president himself stands to benefit.

“Thrive is looking to build a globally diversified investor base by relying on sovereign wealth funds, along with other blue-chip institutions from Europe, Asia and Latin America,” reported Politico’s Sophia Cai and Ben Johansen on Tuesday. “Already, Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, has drawn congressional scrutiny for raising billions of dollars from foreign sovereign wealth funds, including those controlled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The Kushner brothers operate separate businesses.”

According to Politico, Thrive has pledged to assist FIFA in raising up to $4.2 billion so the soccer league can detach its governing body from its commercial operations, similar to the auto racing league Formula One. The thinking is that this will backstop a JP Morgan-led effort to attract institutional investors as consumers turn to live sporting events in a world driven by AI.

“But before any of that can happen, FIFA’s 211 member associations — one for each country or territory that participates — have to vote on the proposal,” Cai and Johansen wrote. “It has already generated swift blowback, including from UEFA, which represents the 55 member nations in Europe.”

UEFA is apparently not enthusiastic.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade — especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially,” UEFA said in a statement on Tuesday. “None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Despite the UEFA’s opposition, Kushner’s plan could work out quite well for the Trump family, as it has sought to enrich itself repeatedly during his second term. Trump himself is also close friends with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“That thinking helped shape discussions with Infantino, whom Jared Kushner has known for years, according to the person familiar with the firm’s thinking,” Politico reported. “The proposal would consolidate FIFA’s media rights, sponsorships, ticketing, hospitality, licensing and other commercial operations into a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, while leaving FIFA’s nonprofit governing structure intact.”

Jared Kushner's business dealings have repeatedly intersected with his government roles, raising ethical concerns. His firm Affinity Partners has raised billions from foreign sovereign wealth funds including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar—countries with direct interests in U.S. policy.

Kushner previously profited from international travel while serving as Trump's senior adviser, and attempted to develop a controversial Albanian resort. He initially failed to obtain a security clearance, yet served as a top foreign policy adviser.

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