European football entered one of its biggest governance disputes after UEFA and its 55 member associations voted to boycott all FIFA competitions if the world governing body presses ahead with plans to sell ownership stakes in its flagship tournaments to private investors.<\/p>\n
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The decision followed an emergency meeting on Thursday called after FIFA unveiled proposals to establish a commercial company for its leading competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup.<\/p>\n
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UEFA said the boycott would remain in place unless FIFA withdraws the proposal in full and provides binding guarantees that ownership of its competitions will never pass into private hands.<\/p>\n
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The move would affect every UEFA national team, including reigning men’s world champions Spain and the continent’s leading women’s teams, if the proposal receives approval from FIFA’s member associations.<\/p>\n
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In a joint statement<\/a> issued after the meeting, UEFA and its national associations said they “stand as one” against the proposal.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n “We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors,” the statement said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n “The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n It added: “The World Cup is not for sale.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n UEFA accused FIFA of developing the proposal without proper consultation and said member associations had been presented with what it described as an ultimatum to support the plan or face consequences.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The European governing body argued that private ownership would place commercial returns ahead of the interests of players, clubs, leagues, national associations and supporters.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n It also said future decisions on the international calendar and tournament formats would become subject to investor expectations rather than sporting priorities.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The proposal centres on the creation of a commercial subsidiary to manage FIFA’s leading competitions. Private investors would acquire a stake in that business while FIFA would continue to oversee the sport’s governing functions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Gianni Infantino wrote to all 211 FIFA member associations offering payments of up to $40 million for each association if they supported the proposal. The letter offered an initial payment of $20 million before a 19 September deadline, with a further $20 million expected later if the plan proceeds.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n UEFA’s boycott would extend to every FIFA competition, including the men’s World Cup, women’s World Cup and Club World Cup. The first event affected would be the Women’s World Cup play-offs scheduled for October if the dispute remains unresolved.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Infantino defended the proposal on Wednesday after criticism spread across world football.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n In a video message<\/a>, he described the proposal as “an offer” and “part of a democratic process”.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n “It is a golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally,” he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n FIFA argues that private investment would generate around $10 billion for football and increase funding for national associations across the world.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n The proposal has drawn criticism beyond Europe.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Concacaf, the confederation covering North America, Central America and the Caribbean, said it learned about the proposal through media reports rather than through FIFA’s governance structures.<\/p>\n
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