World Cup in chaos: UEFA’s 55 nations vow to boycott over FIFA’s $20B privatization cash grab

UEFA nations unanimously back FIFA World Cup boycott over private investment proposals

'UEFA continues its war with FIFA after learning through the media of Gianni Infantino's plan to sell part of the World Cup to a company to exploit the competition. Today it confirmed that it supports the boycott of the competitions of the highest governing body of world football if its president goes ahead with his project. "We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors," the body chaired by Aleksander Ceferin. has stated.'

"There are things that, quite simply, are too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And as long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale," UEFA concluded in a statement drafted after the telematic meeting the Federations held to analyze the measures to be adopted, among which this boycott was not ruled out. "As a result of today's debate, no UEFA national team will take part in any FIFA competition while these proposals remain in force," it points out.

Infantino's attempts to curb UEFA's offensive by personally explaining the project on his social media have not borne fruit: "FIFA Forward Enterprise, or FFE, is in fact a proposal, an offer. It is part of a democratic process — a consultation process — and, above all, it is an opportunity, not an obligation. As I have already said, it marks the beginning of the consultation process. If, and only if, it is approved by the majority of our 211 Member Associations and the FIFA Council, it would become a subsidiary owned and controlled by FIFA, which would consolidate FIFA's commercial and event operations. Its role would be to market and organize all competitions owned by FIFA, along with sponsorship, broadcasting, licensing, and new projects for the benefit of FIFA's 211 Member Associations; also unlocking commercial value that had not previously been tapped," explained the FIFA president.

UEFA, for its part, had already spoken out yesterday in a statement pending the conclusions that have been adopted today: "Today we learned of the deadline FIFA has set for the federations to support its proposals or else the single-payment offer will be withdrawn. This says everything about this plan." FIFA offered an initial payment to the national federations of 20 million dollars per association as part of a global financing proposal (which would amount to a total package of 10 billion dollars), always conditional on a vote.

The UEFA statement

Statement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 national associations*

UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions

UEFA and its 55 member associations remain united. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies. It has been forged over generations thanks to the players, the national teams, and the fans from every continent. No part of it should ever be handed over to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.

It is irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such importance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with the governance of this sport. This is not only a profound failure of leadership, but also an abdication of FIFA's duty as the guardian of world football.

National federations around the world are now facing an ultimatum: accept the irreversible appropriation of football’s most important competitions or face the consequences. This is not a «democratic decision», but governance based on intimidation: an act of coercion unworthy of an institution that has been entrusted with the management of world football.

But our opposition goes far beyond the process.

The moment external investors acquire stakes in FIFA competitions, football will change forever. Commercial profitability will become a permanent obligation. Investors’ expectations will become daily pressure. From that moment on, every decision about the international calendar, every decision about competition formats, and every decision that shapes the future of football will no longer be driven by what best serves the sport, but by what best serves the shareholders.

This model has no place in world football. The future of football cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose primary duty is to maximize financial profitability. Nor can the interests of national federations, leagues, clubs, players, and fans be subordinated to investors' profitability. Football cannot mortgage its future for the sake of economic gain.

Europe's position is clear. We will never grant legitimacy to this model. No one has the moral authority to sell what has simply been entrusted to them on behalf of the next generation.

As a result of today’s debate, no UEFA national team will participate in any FIFA competition while these proposals remain in force, unless the proposal has been completely abandoned and binding guarantees have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or its competitions to private ownership.

Let no one have any doubt: UEFA and its national federations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.

There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are willing to accept, but by what they refuse to yield on. This is one of those moments.

There are things that, quite simply, are too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And as long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.