European football governing body, UEFA, has unanimously rejected Gianni Infantino’s proposal to bring private investors into the commercial ownership of the FIFA World Cup, warning that it could boycott future FIFA competitions if the plan moves forward.
The decision was reached during an emergency meeting involving UEFA’s 55 member associations on Thursday.
In a strongly worded statement, UEFA said it was united in opposing FIFA’s proposal to sell minority ownership stakes in the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.
The move could deal a significant blow to the proposal, as any boycott by European nations would reduce the commercial appeal of FIFA tournaments and make them less attractive to potential investors.
If implemented, the first competition likely to be affected would be the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, scheduled to begin on June 24 next year.
The dispute escalated earlier this week after FIFA unveiled plans to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial entity that would manage the broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, licensing, and operational delivery of FIFA competitions.
Under the proposal, FIFA intends to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling minority, non-controlling stakes in FFE, which it values at approximately $20 billion.
The football governing body says the initiative could generate more than $10 billion for global football development over the next four years, subject to approval by its member associations.
However, UEFA described the proposal as unacceptable, insisting it crossed a line and raised serious concerns over football governance.
The plan has also drawn criticism from other stakeholders, including the Scottish Football Association and the Premier League, both of which backed UEFA’s position.
Critics argued that FIFA failed to properly consult member associations before unveiling the proposal, raising concerns about transparency and governance.
