FIFA's failed World Cup proposal could spark antitrust theory of harm, experts say
globalcompetitionreview.com
FIFA's scrapped $20 billion commercial subsidiary plan may have left behind an antitrust problem — experts say the proposal itself is enough to trigger a theory of harm.
Antitrust TheoryMarket Power AbusePrincipal-Agent ProblemVertical Integration
Theory Briefing
- FIFA's abandoned plan to channel World Cup revenues through a $20 billion commercial subsidiary is now drawing scrutiny even though it never launched.
- Antitrust experts argue the proposal alone — not just its execution — can be enough to constitute a theory of competitive harm.
- The case hinges on whether FIFA's structural control over global football gives it the power to foreclose rivals or commercial alternatives.
- A failed plan that reveals intent to consolidate market power can still be used as evidence in competition investigations.