UEFA and FA reject Infantino's proposal
UEFA and the Football Association (FA) have confirmed they will boycott the World Cup if Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell shares in FIFA competitions goes ahead. The decision came after an emergency meeting of UEFA's 55 member nations, where they unanimously opposed Infantino's vision.
Infantino's proposal involves selling ownership interests in the World Cup, women's tournaments, age-group competitions, and the Club World Cup to private investors. The idea has drawn widespread anger, and reports indicate FIFA offered $40m (£30m) to each of its 211 member associations to support the scheme—an offer UEFA has condemned.
UEFA statement: 'World Cup is not for sale'
According to The Times, UEFA's member associations, including England, voted unanimously to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan is implemented. UEFA released a statement following the meeting, declaring: "UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions."
The statement further read: "UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to 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."
Governance by intimidation
UEFA criticised the process, stating: "It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
They added: "National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences. This is not a 'democratic decision', but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game."
Football cannot mortgage its future
UEFA warned of the long-term impact: "The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become a daily pressure. From that moment onwards, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders."
The statement concluded: "This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. ... Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain."
UEFA confirmed that no national teams from its member associations will participate in any FIFA competition while the proposal remains alive, unless it is abandoned entirely and binding assurances are given. They declared: "Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination. ... Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale."
