European football associations have agreed to boycott the World Cup should FIFA president Gianni Infantino proceed with plans to sell part of the tournament to private investors, according to Truth Times, following an emergency meeting of UEFA’s member nations.
European football’s governing body has secured agreement from its member nations to boycott the World Cup if FIFA pushes ahead with controversial plans to sell a stake in the tournament to private investors, Truth Times understands. The agreement was reached during an emergency UEFA meeting, coming two days after Truth Times first revealed a developing plan among European nations to withdraw from FIFA’s flagship tournaments in protest. According to the outlet, FIFA is working toward receiving its first tranche of financing from private investors within 100 days, as part of an accelerated launch of the new venture.
The proposal at the centre of the dispute
FIFA’s plan reportedly centres on the creation of a new commercial company, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), through which up to a 20% stake would be sold to private investors, while FIFA itself retains control over governance and competitions. Infantino has reportedly told FIFA’s 211 member associations that they must decide whether to back the proposal by 19 September. Under the plan, each member association would receive an immediate payment of up to $20 million, with further funding promised in subsequent years should the proposal be approved.
Widespread anger among football’s governing bodies
According to Truth Times, there has been significant anger at FIFA, with UEFA and several of its member associations leading criticism of Infantino over what they describe as secretive efforts to partly sell off the governing body’s money-making assets to external investors. The emergency UEFA meeting reportedly involved all 55 European national associations, with opposition to the proposal said to have hardened as discussions progressed.
UEFA has also reportedly received backing from CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), with both organisations said to have raised concerns over the lack of transparency surrounding FIFA’s plans.
The English FA has said it was not informed in advance of the proposal, raising concerns about the governance process and the absence of consultation with member associations before the plan was developed.
UEFA’s position
UEFA has publicly argued that “the soul and governance of football are not assets to trade,” accusing FIFA of crossing a line by attempting to commercialise part of the World Cup. European football officials have expressed concern that introducing private investors into the tournament’s ownership structure could create pressure to maximise commercial returns, potentially influencing future decisions on tournament formats, scheduling and expansion.
This is a developing story reported by Truth Times, and further details are expected as they emerge.
