All 55 football associations in Europe have agreed to boycott FIFA competitions, including both the men’s and women’s World Cups, if FIFA moves forward with its plan to sell minority stakes in its commercial operations to private investors.
This decision came after UEFA held an emergency meeting in response to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal, which was announced earlier this week.
UEFA had already opposed the plan, but at Thursday’s meeting, all 55 member associations agreed to support a boycott if FIFA’s Congress approves it.
UEFA said in a strong statement that the FIFA World Cup should stay under the control of the global football community, not private investors.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product.
“It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
If the boycott happens, it would cover all FIFA competitions, including the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
This move marks a major increase in the ongoing tensions between UEFA and FIFA about the future commercial direction of the world’s biggest football tournaments.
Infantino’s proposal would have FIFA set up a separate company to manage its main competitions, allowing private investors to buy minority stakes. FIFA thinks this could bring in billions of dollars in extra revenue, with some of the money shared among its 211 member associations.
FIFA’s member associations are expected to vote on the proposal later this year. UEFA has made it clear that if the plan is approved, it could lead to a boycott of future FIFA tournaments.
The first big sign of UEFA’s position could come as soon as October, when the Women’s World Cup qualifying play-offs are set to start.
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