Europe’s 55 football associations have voted unanimously to boycott FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, if world football’s governing body proceeds with plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors, according to the BBC.
The decision was taken during an emergency virtual meeting of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), chaired by president Aleksander Čeferin, following FIFA’s announcement earlier this week of proposals to create a new commercial subsidiary that would allow outside investors to purchase minority stakes in the organization’s premier tournaments.
According to the BBC, the proposed boycott would apply to all FIFA competitions, including the Club World Cup, if FIFA member associations approve the plan put forward by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The first potential test of UEFA’s position could come in October during the Women’s World Cup play-offs.
In a strongly worded statement issued after the meeting, UEFA said its 55 member associations “stand as one” in rejecting the proposal.
“We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors,” the statement said.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies… No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
The BBC reported that England’s Football Association declared it stood “shoulder to shoulder” with its European counterparts, with a spokeswoman stating that “the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.”
The Scottish Football Association also backed UEFA’s position, expressing concern over what it described as the lack of consultation and good governance surrounding the proposals.
Although UEFA represents only 55 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, the BBC noted that Europe remains the dominant force in international football. European nations have won 13 of the 23 FIFA World Cups and accounted for six of the eight quarter-finalists, including champions Spain, at this year’s tournament.
Under FIFA’s proposal, a new subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) would be established to oversee the commercial and event operations of its major competitions. FIFA says it would invite third parties to acquire minority, non-controlling investments in the entity.
According to the BBC, Infantino has written to all 211 FIFA member associations offering each up to US$40 million if they support the proposal. Associations have until September 19 to approve the plan in order to receive an initial US$20 million payment.
The proposal must still be approved by a vote of FIFA’s membership. If passed, the BBC reported that the American venture capital firm Thrive Eternal is expected to lead the proposed investor group for FFE. The firm was founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
UEFA has sharply criticised the process behind the proposal, accusing FIFA of developing the plan in secret without meaningful consultation. In its latest statement, the European governing body described the initiative as “irresponsible and indefensible” and said national associations had effectively been presented with an ultimatum.
“This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football,” UEFA said, adding that the proposal amounted to “governance by intimidation” and “an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game,” the BBC reported.
