Jared Kushner‘s younger brother, Joshua Kushner, has seen his high-profile FIFA World Cup investment bid collapse after world soccer leaders united against the controversial proposal. The stunning reversal puts fresh focus on the billionaire investor and the role he was expected to play in one of FIFA’s most ambitious commercial plans.
Joshua offered no public defense of the World Cup investment plan as opposition mounted and FIFA ultimately abandoned it.
Joshua Kushner has lost out on a high-profile World Cup investment opportunity after FIFA scrapped its controversial plan to bring private money into its biggest competitions.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the proposal “will not proceed” after opposition hardened across the body’s various continental member federations. UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cups, while Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation also rejected the plan. That left FIFA without a realistic route to the 106 votes needed for approval.
The revolt also shook Infantino’s inner circle. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned and branded the proposal “a bad deal for football,” while chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said FIFA’s administration had been “deceived” about the project.
Joshua Kushner Emerged As FIFA’s Lead Investor
3Joshua Kushner was poised to play a central role in FIFA’s controversial investment push through his firm, Thrive Eternal. According to The Guardian, the company was expected to lead the private investor group seeking a stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise, the proposed commercial vehicle tied to the governing body’s biggest tournaments.
That put Joshua at the heart of talks over how outside capital could gain access to the World Cup business. FIFA confirmed Thrive’s expected involvement, while reports also claimed figures close to the Trump administration had been consulted about the wider proposal.
Joshua himself brought serious financial weight to the table. He founded Thrive Capital in 2009, and the venture firm has since backed major companies including Instagram, Spotify, and OpenAI. It reportedly manages about $25 billion in assets.
Joshua Stayed Silent As FIFA Deal Unraveled
3Intriguingly, Joshua watched the controversy consume FIFA without publicly defending the project or explaining what his firm hoped to gain from it.
The billionaire issued no statement as football officials attacked the proposal and questioned the process behind it. He also offered no response when the plan’s political optics drew scrutiny because of his family’s proximity to Donald Trump.
The silence fits a pattern Joshua has followed for years. He has largely avoided public battles over politics, even when Jared’s White House role pulled the wider family into the spotlight. In 2017, he told employees and business partners that he had no personal ties to the administration and could not secure favors for them.
Gianni Infantino Faces Fight To Save FIFA Presidency After World Cup Deal Collapse
Scrapping the proposal has done little to quiet the growing questions surrounding Gianni Infantino’s future at FIFA.
The world soccer governing body’s chief had been widely expected to cruise to a fourth term when member associations vote in Morocco next March. Now, that outlook appears far less certain after a week that exposed rare cracks inside the organization.
Questions are mounting over whether the backlash ends with the investment plan or marks the beginning of a broader challenge to Infantino’s leadership. Critics have accused him of sidelining FIFA’s own decision-making bodies, while several confederations have called for a review of how major proposals are developed and approved.
His support among many smaller football nations could still prove decisive, thanks to FIFA’s development funding. However, the united resistance from Europe, North and Central America, and Asia has reshaped the political landscape.
Trump Distances Himself From Botched World Cup Deal
3Meanwhile, Donald Trump himself insists he had nothing to do with the collapsed FIFA investment deal.
Speaking to reporters at Camp David, the U.S. president said he never discussed the plan with Infantino, despite the pair’s increasingly close relationship in recent years. Trump’s denial came as scrutiny intensified over reports that figures close to his administration had been consulted during the proposal’s development.
The optics were hard to ignore. Infantino has spent much of the past year alongside Trump, from White House appearances to the 2026 World Cup, where the two shared the spotlight during the trophy presentation.
Their relationship also came under fire earlier in the tournament after the polarizing politician successfully appealed to Infantino over U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension. Even so, Trump rejected suggestions he played any role in the investment proposal.
