UEFA has threatened to withdraw its national teams from FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, unless plans to introduce private investment into FIFA’s tournament operations are abandoned.
The European soccer governing body said after an emergency meeting on Thursday that all 55 of its member associations were united in opposing the proposal, which would involve creating a new FIFA subsidiary to manage commercial activities linked to its competitions.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies,” UEFA said in a statement.
“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.”
UEFA said no European national teams would take part in FIFA competitions while the proposal remained active unless it was completely withdrawn and FIFA provided binding assurances that its competitions and governance would never be opened to private ownership.
The dispute could affect FIFA events as early as September, when the Under-20 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to begin in Poland, a UEFA member.
A boycott by European teams would have a major impact on FIFA competitions, given UEFA’s strength in international football. European nations have traditionally been among the most successful participants in both men’s and women’s tournaments.
FIFA investment proposal
The proposal would see FIFA establish a subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to oversee commercial operations connected to its tournaments, including broadcasting rights, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing.
FIFA has said it aims to raise $4.2 billion from outside investors based on a valuation of about $20 billion for the new entity.
UEFA has argued that allowing private investors to acquire stakes in FIFA competitions could fundamentally change the way football decisions are made.
“The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever,” UEFA said.
The European body warned that investor expectations could influence decisions on competition formats, the international calendar and the future direction of the sport.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has reportedly contacted member associations about the proposal, with reports saying associations could receive financial incentives of up to $40 million if they support the plan before a September 19 deadline.
UEFA and FIFA tensions
The latest dispute adds to a history of disagreements between UEFA and FIFA over the future direction of international football.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has previously opposed proposals to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, an idea supported by Infantino.
FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup has also faced criticism from European football officials and clubs, who view the competition as a potential challenge to UEFA’s Champions League.
The private investment proposal requires approval from a simple majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations as well as the FIFA Council, which has 37 members.
Even without UEFA’s support, the proposal could still pass if other confederations back it. However, UEFA’s threat of a boycott introduces further uncertainty over FIFA’s plans.
