Gianni Infantino held talks with private investors about creating a global Under-15 tournament for national teams, according to reports, reviving questions about the FIFA president’s plans for commercially driven football projects.
The proposed competition would be modelled partly on baseball’s Little League World Series and could involve all 211 member associations of FIFA. It was envisioned as a “youth football festival”, with a first edition for boys only, shorter matches and games played at smaller venues than those typically used for major international tournaments.
The project emerged as Infantino faces growing criticism over the decision to abandon plans for a commercial company that would have been responsible for selling part of FIFA’s assets and activities. That proposal had already generated considerable debate across the international football community.
According to The Athletic, Infantino spent the past year speaking to private-sector investors about how such an Under-15 event could be developed and marketed. The discussions reportedly considered a tournament that would combine competitive international football with an entertainment-focused festival format.
One potential backer identified in the report was Eldridge Industries, the company founded and chaired by Todd Boehly. Boehly is also chairman of Chelsea and one of the owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Talks were also held with ESPN, the long-standing broadcaster of the Little League World Series. One proposal was for the tournament to be staged at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Under that plan, ESPN would broadcast the matches in the United States, while the opening and closing ceremonies would take place inside Disney’s theme parks. The location and broadcast arrangements reflected the intention to build an event that extended beyond the matches themselves and attracted a wider family audience.
The idea of a FIFA Under-15 national-team competition was first presented at a meeting of the FIFA Council in December 2025, The Athletic reported. However, the previously undisclosed element was the possibility of commercialising the tournament and involving private investors in its organisation and development.
Those plans were put on hold before the World Cup began in June. It remains unclear whether the proposal has been permanently abandoned or could be brought back at a later date.
The report adds to scrutiny of Infantino’s approach to expanding FIFA’s commercial operations. His shelved plan for a company to manage the sale of parts of FIFA’s assets and activities had already prompted criticism, while the Under-15 proposal would have introduced private-sector involvement into a new global national-team competition.
The tournament, if revived, would therefore represent more than an additional youth event on FIFA’s calendar. Its proposed structure, private backing and planned use of entertainment venues would mark a distinct approach to staging international football, although no final decision has been made on whether it will proceed.
