European football governing body, UEFA has warned that its member Associations will boycott FIFA competitions if the World football governing body proceeds with plans to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
UEFA’s 55 member associations unanimously rejected the proposal at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, insisting that the FIFA World Cup is not an investment product and should not be put up for sale.
In a statement, UEFA said the boycott would cover both men’s and women’s FIFA competitions, including the FIFA Club World Cup, beginning with the qualifying play-offs for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
FIFA plans to establish a commercial subsidiary to manage its flagship competitions, including the World Cup, creating an opportunity for external investors to acquire equity stakes in the business. FIFA President, Gianni Infantino has reportedly written to all 211 member associations, offering each federation up to $40 million in funding, if they support the proposal.
According to the plan, member associations that endorse the initiative before the 19th of September deadline would receive an initial payment of $20 million, with the balance to follow under the proposed investment structure.
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Editor: Ken Eseni
