As part of the proposal for two new FIFA tournaments, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son would play an integral role in FIFA Digital Corp.GETTY IMAGES
As part of a $25B proposal for two new FIFA tournaments, SoftBank Chair & CEO Masayoshi Son would "play a major role" in new joint venture FIFA Digital Corp., and a consortium led by SoftBank would "take over some of FIFA's most valuable operations," according to Tariq Panja of the N.Y. TIMES. FIFA would be a 51% "partner in the new joint venture." The consortium, which includes Japan-based SoftBank's British subsidiary, SB Investment Advisers, as well as London-based asset management firm Centricus Partners and some Middle East and U.S. investors, is also "seeking to control the rights to FIFA's gaming and merchandise business." That includes FIFA's $150M-a-year deal with EA Sports for the FIFA video game. Son and FIFA President Gianni Infantino would serve as co-chairs of a 10-member supervisory board of FIFA Digital, "with each appointing half the board's members" (N.Y. TIMES, 5/24). ESPN.com's Matt Scott reported the largest single investment in SoftBank is the $45B "ploughed in by the sovereign-wealth fund of Saudi Arabia," while another minority investor is the Arabian Emirate of Abu Dhabi, whose global profile "has gained much" from football through its ownership of Man City (ESPN.com, 5/28).
