Joshua Kushner: Trump's brother-in-law linked to FIFA World Cup stake sale

Thrive Capital, an investment firm launched by Joshua Kushner, brother-in-law of United States President Donald Trump, has come under scrutiny over plans to acquire stakes in the FIFA World Cup.

Joshua Kushner is Donald Trump's brother-in-law in a loose familial sense, but more precisely, he is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka.

The football governing body wants to open a new chapter by bringing outside investors into its business.

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FIFA is preparing to create a new commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which will house some of its most valuable revenue streams, including broadcast rights, sponsorship deals, licensing, ticketing, and hospitality.

The plan is to sell a minority stake of up to 20 percent in the new entity to private investors, while FIFA retains majority ownership and control. The proposed move, which values the new company at around $20 billion, has triggered major debate across football.

FIFA has confirmed that Thrive Capital, the investment firm Kushner launched in 2009 at the age of 24, will lead the group through the purchasing process.

Selling portions of the World Cup to a group spearheaded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law, has intensified concerns. Even more worrying for many supporters are the ties the proposed investment group has with Donald Trump.

Other figures close to the Trump administration are also understood to be involved in the deal, raising eyebrows within the football fraternity and prompting questions about the integrity and transparency of the sale.

Despite the backlash, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has insisted that the deal will remain on the table, describing it as part of a democratic process. Under the proposal, countries that support the bid would earn $40 million, while those opposed would receive $10 million.

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