KIEV, Ukraine — Masayoshi Son is Japan’s richest man, and one of the world’s most prolific dealmakers, and for the past few months he has been looking to add another jewel to his sprawling sports portfolio: FIFA.
For months, a consortium led by SoftBank, the Japanese conglomerate owned by Son, and the leadership of soccer’s governing body have been in negotiations over a proposed $25 billion deal for two new tournaments. The talks are shrouded in nondisclosure agreements. But according to information reviewed by The New York Times this week, the terms of the proposal call for Son to play a major role in the new joint venture, FIFA Digital Corp.