UEFA's 55 member nations threaten to boycott World Cup if FIFA proceeds with new investor plan
European football's governing body has taken its strongest stand yet against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, threatening to pull every major nation from future tournaments
UEFA's 55 member associations voted unanimously at a virtual emergency meeting on Thursday to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, if Infantino proceeds with his plan to sell stakes in the tournaments to private investors. The meeting, chaired by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, came after more than 50 associations spoke and expressed unanimous opposition.
In a statement, UEFA said: "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies... The World Cup is not for sale." The federation added that no European national teams will play in Fifa events "for so long as these proposals remain alive."
Infantino has proposed selling minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to raise up to $20 billion, backed by investor Josh Kushner and JP Morgan. Associations that accept by a September 19 deadline would receive $40 million each, according to the Times, which first revealed the plan on Tuesday, with an initial $20 million tied to accepting by that date.
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The Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf have also raised objections, with AFC president Sheikh Salman writing to his 47 members citing a lack of consultation.
The first test of UEFA's stance comes in September, when Poland hosts the Women's Under-20 World Cup, followed by the Women's World Cup play-offs in October.