UEFA has released a second statement criticising FIFA's plan to sell shares in its competitions to private investors, claiming the scheme is intended to 'enrich themselves and their friends'. This comes ahead of an emergency UEFA meeting where European football chiefs will examine FIFA President Gianni Infantino's strategy.
Growing Opposition and Deadline
Following the plans being leaked, UEFA asserted that FIFA had 'crossed a line'. Reports suggest FIFA has written to its 211 member associations offering $40m (£30m) if they support the proposal. Members have until September 19 to respond favourably; otherwise, they will not receive an initial $20m (£15m) by January 1. UEFA stated the deadline 'says everything you need to know about this plan'.
UEFA's Statement and Potential Action
A UEFA statement read: "Today we have learned of FIFA's deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn. This says everything you need to know about this plan. But having held discussions with many stakeholders across the game, UEFA knows there is significant and growing opposition to FIFA's scheme. FIFA cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends. We can grow the game correctly. It's time to prioritise associations, clubs, leagues, players and fans."
At the forthcoming emergency meeting, UEFA could consider boycotting the World Cup as an extreme course of action. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was absent from the men's final earlier this month amid growing tensions with FIFA. The next World Cup is the women's edition in Brazil next year.
FIFA's Position
FIFA is a not-for-profit organisation owned by its 211 member associations, enjoying tax-free status in Switzerland. It maintains that, with outside investment, it would retain sole control over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar, and all sporting and regulatory decisions. Any investment would go into a FIFA subsidiary, not FIFA itself. Speaking after the plan leaked, Infantino said: "Football is the world's most popular sport and an extraordinary engine of human and social development. Parts of the game have turned that popularity into remarkable commercial value - and we celebrate that success and want it to continue, because it lifts the whole game ... our next stage of growth needs a structure built for it, one where the commercial side of the game operates as a focused, dedicated business, with its value shared more and better all around the world."
