Former Liberty Media president Greg Maffei, acting as commercial adviser, defended FIFA’s proposal to create a $20bn commercial entity, saying it is “so far from the Super League” and does not amount to selling the World Cup.

FIFA plans to sell a 20 per cent stake in a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise, that will hold its media and commercial rights, including the men’s World Cup. Each of the 211 member associations would receive an upfront $20mn payment and additional funding over four years. Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, would chair the board of the new entity.

The plan has drawn criticism from politicians, fan groups and UEFA, which convened an emergency meeting. Investor group Thrive Eternal, led by Joshua Kushner, is set to lead the funding. Maffei insisted there are no plans to lever the game with debt and that the structure follows a trend of sports federations carving out separate commercial units.

FIFA’s current four‑year cycle is expected to generate at least $13bn in revenue, up from $7.6bn previously. Maffei, who oversaw Liberty Media’s takeover of Formula 1, said the model mirrors that sport’s separation of commercial rights from governance, a pattern also seen with the PGA Tour and UEFA’s UC3 joint venture.