LONDON, Aug 9 — What does artificial intelligence (AI) have to do with the World Cup?
Quite a lot, according to the tech investors who were prepared to put billions of dollars into Fifa’s proposed private investment vehicle before fierce opposition forced the governing body to shelve the plan.
The thinking behind the proposal was simple, according to a BBC article published yesterday.
As AI transforms entertainment and increasingly replaces human work in areas such as film and music, some experiences may become more valuable precisely because they cannot be replicated by technology — and football is one of them.
Who are the investors?
Thrive Eternal, an investment arm created this year by US venture capital firm Thrive Capital, sees sport as an asset built around tradition, identity and shared human experiences that AI cannot easily reproduce.
Led by Joshua Kushner, brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, Thrive Capital is already a major investor in artificial intelligence, including OpenAI.
Thrive Eternal was created to invest in businesses and institutions with qualities that are difficult to replicate through technology, with sport at the centre of its strategy.
That brought Fifa’s World Cup into its sights.
What was the plan?
The proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise would have allowed outside investors to put about US$4.2 billion (RM16.8 billion) into a commercial vehicle linked to the World Cup, which was valued at about US$20 billion (RM80 billion).
The investors were reportedly prepared to wait decades for returns rather than pursue the quick profits normally associated with investment funds.
The proposal also promised to channel more money to Fifa’s member associations, potentially giving each a stake worth up to US$91 million (RM364 million), with the money intended for projects such as stadiums and training facilities.
But the plan triggered fierce opposition from football authorities and others who questioned why Fifa needed outside money and whether private investment could compromise the governance of the sport.
Does Fifa actually need the money?
That is one of the biggest questions hanging over the proposal.
Fifa has described the World Cup as “under-monetised”, but the expanded 48-team tournament in 2026 is already expected to generate record revenues from broadcasting, sponsorship and ticketing.
The possibility of an even larger 64-team World Cup would create further commercial opportunities.
Christina Philippou, an associate professor in accounting and sport finance at the University of Portsmouth, told the BBC that Fifa was not in a position where it was desperate for cash and could increase its payouts to member associations using money it already has.
Why does this matter?
The failed Fifa plan points to a bigger shift in global sport: football is increasingly being treated not just as a game, but as a scarce cultural asset.
American investment in European football has grown steadily, while investors are increasingly targeting clubs, leagues and sporting franchises as long-term assets.
For tech investors such as Thrive Eternal, the attraction is even broader.
If AI can transform much of entertainment, the argument goes, the value of experiences that depend on real people, real competition and real-world communities could rise.
Football may therefore be “AI-proof” — but the Fifa backlash shows that turning that idea into a financial investment is far more complicated.
