Paddy Power has taken direct aim at FIFA and its President, Gianni Infantino, with a sharp new social media stunt targeting the organisation’s troubled investor scheme.
The Flutter Entertainment-owned operator, widely regarded as one of the sharpest marketing minds in the betting industry, has delivered yet another well-timed and entertaining post.
The stunt features a member of the Paddy Power team placing a sign outside FIFA’s headquarters in Switzerland, causing immediate ripples across social media platforms.
The sign reads: “FOR SALE – To anyone – anyone – with money, power and a willingness to endure Gianni’s small talk,” leaving little to the imagination about where the bookmaker’s sympathies lie.
FIFA and Infantino have been attempting to raise a staggering $4.2bn from investors led by Josh Kushner’s Thrive Eternal, a plan that has generated considerable controversy since it was first revealed.
The broader ambition behind the fundraising push is the creation of what Infantino has dubbed the “FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE),” a proposed $20bn commercial subsidiary intended to reshape the organisation’s financial future.
The plans were first exposed by The Times journalist Martyn Ziegler, and public uproar has followed ever since, with widespread criticism directed at the scheme from across the football world.
Paddy Power’s stunt appears designed to align itself with that growing wave of public dissatisfaction, positioning the brand on the side of those skeptical of FIFA’s commercial ambitions.
The timing is particularly notable given that Paddy Power’s own marketing department faced redundancies earlier this year, raising questions about whether the brand’s famous creative edge might be dulled going forward.
Today’s post suggests those concerns were misplaced, with the team demonstrating they remain as quick-witted and willing to court controversy as ever before.
Adding further pressure to Infantino’s position, Insider Sport reported that his Senior Advisor, Carlos Cordeiro, has resigned from his role in protest over the proposed scheme.
With key figures distancing themselves and public opinion firmly against the plans, it looks increasingly unlikely that the FIFA Forward Enterprise will proceed in its current form.
