All 55 UEFA member nations, including the Football Association of Wales (FAW), have unanimously agreed to boycott the World Cup if FIFA president Gianni Infantino proceeds with plans to sell stakes in the competition to private investors, according to reports from The Times.
The unanimous decision was taken during an emergency virtual meeting of UEFA's 55 national associations on Thursday, chaired by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, after FIFA's proposals sparked outrage across European football.
Details of the FIFA Proposal
FIFA has told its 211 member associations they have until September 19 to approve plans for a new commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would oversee its flagship competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups. Under the proposal, private investors would be able to buy minority stakes in the company, with FIFA promising a $10 billion (£7.5bn) funding package if member associations approve the plans.
Infantino's letter reportedly says every national association could receive up to $40 million from January 2027 if the proposal is accepted. However, associations have also reportedly been told that rejecting the proposal would leave them sharing $2.7 billion, almost 75 per cent less than under the new scheme.
Impact and Wider Opposition
The boycott would be triggered if FIFA refuses to abandon its plans. The prospect of a World Cup without Europe's leading nations would almost certainly destroy the value of the project for any investors. European teams have dominated the men's World Cup for decades, with six of the eight quarter-finalists at this summer's tournament coming from UEFA nations.
Opposition is not confined to Europe. The Times reports that Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has written to all 47 AFC member associations expressing his "great concern and disappointment" over FIFA's lack of consultation. He warned that the governing body's actions appeared to undermine "the very foundations of continental football" and said the proposal "will not succeed without the support of all the confederations." Leadership figures within CONCACAF are also said to have voiced concerns.
UEFA's Statement
UEFA has already issued a scathing response to FIFA's proposals. In a statement released earlier this week, European football's governing body said: "This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade, especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell."
FIFA insists it would retain exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international calendar and all sporting decisions, while arguing the new structure would unlock unprecedented investment for football development around the world. Critics, however, have questioned why FIFA cannot simply increase development funding itself, given it is reported to hold financial reserves of around $4 billion.
