Former FIFA and IFA figure savages plans for privatised World Cup saying it 'purely and simply about money'
A former vice-president of FIFA has savaged his one-time organisation’s plans to essentially privatise the World Cup.
Jim Boyce said he is at one with UEFA in its strenuous objections to the proposal, which was revealed on Tuesday, while the IFA tells the News Letter “we have questions" about the plan.
Mr Boyce was president of the IFA from 1995 until 2007, and served as FIFA vice-president from 2011 until 2015.
He said football “is a game for the normal, ordinary football supporters, and that I personally feel there’s no way that FIFA should even consider selling any of the rights to a third party”.
Asked about the motivation for the move, he said: “Money. Purely and simply money. Money for FIFA.”
He added: “I agree entirely with the statement that has been made by UEFA.
"UEFA have come out and condemned it outright, and I would agree with those sentiments.”
The plan he was reacting to would involve FIFA – a non-profit organisation under the laws of Switzerland, where it is headquartered – creating a firm called FIFA Forward Enterprise to run its tournaments, which would be minority-owned by private interests.
Wall Street giant JP Morgan is advising on the move, and the proposal is being driven by Thrive Eternal, a company run by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Mr Boyce believes that the move “could be Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino trying to set something up”.
During the World Cup FIFA had taken the controversial decision to suspend the one-match red card ban on the US’ star player Folarin Balogun following a phone call from Mr Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Mr Trump “should never ever have been allowed to get involved” in that situation, said Mr Boyce.
"It’s political interference in football and I think that decision was totally astounding.
"I still don’t know who made the decision to allow the suspension to be lifted, but it should never have been allowed to happen and to me it’s created a very dangerous situation.”
He went on to says that “if what I read is true, and reportedly one of his family members would be in for a stake, it just shows the very strong connection between Gianni Infantino and president Trump”.
Mr Boyce wondered about the impact a privatised World Cup would have on ticket prices, which are already “astronomical”, and lamented that "the game is now becoming so money-orientated”.
While FIFA has said that the new arrangements would lead to a funding boost for national footballing associations, Mr Boyce said: "My worry is the associations forget about the good of the game and go with the money, but I hope that that won’t happen.”
UEFA had issued a furious statement after the plans emerged, saying: “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.
"None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”
The English FA has today said: “We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details, including what the proposition actually is, and what conditions are attached.
“Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved.”
Asked its position, the IFA told the News Letter: “Like others, we have yet to receive any meaningful detail on these proposals.
"From what we have seen so far, we have questions about both the way it has emerged and the issues it raises.
"Once FIFA provides the full proposal, as it has indicated it will, we will review it carefully before commenting further.”
When contacted, FIFA told the News Letter: “Gianni Infantino is planning to set up a company to handle FIFA's main competitions, the World Cup and Club World Cup, and to sell 20-30% to private investors raising multi-billions of dollars.
“FIFA is always on the lookout for innovative projects that can boost the development of football around the world and is always open to reviewing proposals submitted to it.
"We are starting a consultation process.
"It is inaccurate to state FIFA staff have signed NDAs.*
“As the FIFA President stated on July 18 during a meeting with all FIFA member associations, the priority now is to ‘unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has’ after FIFA World Cup 2026 success.
"FIFA makes its decisions democratically, and a proposal that FIFA has received and is currently reviewing will soon be presented to the 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, who will be the sole final decision-makers on the matter."
The body added that the idea Mr Infantino would lead the new company “has never been discussed”.
It added that while “Thrive (for which Josh Kushner is the CEO) is expected to lead the proposed investor group”, his brother Jared Kushner “is not an investor”.