UEFA vs FIFA: European football bodies have taken a strong stand against FIFA’s latest proposal. UEFA’s member associations unanimously agreed to boycott the FIFA World Cup. They will boycott all other FIFA competitions if the governing body goes ahead with its plan to allow outside investors to buy a stake in its tournaments.
UEFA announced the decision after a virtual meeting with its member associations. The organization said no UEFA national team would take part in any FIFA competition as long as the proposal remains on the table. They demanded that FIFA completely withdraw the plan and give a binding guarantee that it will never again try to bring private ownership into its competitions.
UEFA said 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 FIFA World Cup is not for sale.
The English Football Association backed UEFA’s decision. A spokesperson said the organization stands shoulder to shoulder with European colleagues.
FIFA revealed that it wants to create a new subsidiary worth around $20 billion to manage the World Cup and its other tournaments. Under the proposal, outside investors could buy up to a 20% stake in that company. FIFA believes the move would help manage and grow its competitions through outside investment.
The idea has faced immediate resistance from other football bodies as well. The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF said they were not consulted before the proposal was announced. They questioned the process and expressed strong objections.
The disagreement comes at an important time. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil next year. FIFA will also launch its first Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan this October.
UEFA Maintains FIFA Boycott Despite Gianni Infantino Reversing World Cup Selloff Plan
UEFA has issued a statement saying its 55 member associations remain committed to boycotting FIFA competitions. The European governing body stressed that FIFA has failed to meet their key conditions for returning.
UEFA voted unanimously last Thursday to withdraw from all FIFA events. This followed FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s announcement that the global body would seek to sell minority stakes in World Cups and other events.
Infantino has since withdrawn the proposal. He received the backing of FIFA’s leadership at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday.
UEFA said the withdrawal of the selloff plan was not its only requirement. The group had two conditions. First, the proposals to sell off major competitions had to be withdrawn. Second, assurances had to be made that such attempts would never happen again.
UEFA said these conditions have not been met.
UEFA said it had lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency. The group said the announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president agree with him changes nothing.
FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
UEFA had previously issued FIFA with a document preservation letter. This action seeks to ensure potential evidence for legal action is not destroyed. Poland is set to host the Women’s Under-20 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA Revolt Grows as UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF Explore Rival Tournaments
More than 100 national soccer federations are reportedly in talks to launch tournaments that would rival FIFA’s. This is the latest development in a massive turn against organization president Gianni Infantino after he announced a plan to sell a portion of the World Cup to private investors.
The governing bodies of soccer in Europe (UEFA), North and Central America (CONCACAF), and Asia (AFC) are reportedly talking about organizing international tournaments. Their 142 teams could compete in these if they boycott FIFA until Infantino is pushed out.
The three groups issued an open letter slamming FIFA for secrecy and lack of accountability around the privatization plan.
The scheme was announced in July. FIFA would have sold a roughly 20% stake in the World Cup to private investors at an equity valuation of $20 billion. It was quickly slammed by member associations, public officials, former FIFA leadership, and the public.
Critics accused Infantino of orchestrating a cash grab that would hurt FIFA’s integrity in the long run. Even after the plan was scrapped, leaders of UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC have criticized the handling of the incident. They accused FIFA of “silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness.”
UEFA has said it will continue with a planned boycott of FIFA competitions. It has also lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership. CONCACAF and AFC have joined UEFA in its condemnation but have not committed to the boycott.
The three groups said in their open letter that this is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game and the integrity of those elected to lead it. They said when trust is broken through deception and when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.
Infantino would need a two-thirds majority vote from the 211 member teams in the first round of voting to be reelected in March. Almost 70 teams have said publicly they will vote for him. No other group has unanimously said all of its teams are against him. The UEFA vs FIFA disagreement continues.
FAQs
Q. Why is UEFA boycotting FIFA competitions?
A. UEFA opposes FIFA’s plan to involve private investors.
Q. What does UEFA want from FIFA?
A. UEFA wants the investment plan withdrawn permanently.
Q. How much was FIFA’s proposed subsidiary worth?
A. The proposed company was valued at around $20 billion.
Q. How much could investors have owned?
A. Outside investors could have bought up to 20%.
Q. Has FIFA withdrawn the investment proposal?
A. Yes. But UEFA says its conditions remain unmet.
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