UEFA has announced that all 55 of its member associations will boycott FIFA competitions if FIFA president Gianni Infantino proceeds with his controversial proposal to sell part of the governing body’s commercial rights to private investors.
The warning follows growing backlash after Infantino revealed plans to create a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprises, which would manage FIFA’s commercial rights. Around 20 percent of the company could be sold to private investors, a decision that reportedly came without consulting FIFA’s six continental confederations.
The announcement sent shockwaves through world football and prompted UEFA to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday. Following the discussions, Europe’s governing body unanimously agreed that its national associations would not participate in FIFA tournaments while the proposal remains on the table.
In a strongly worded statement, UEFA said: “This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. Nor can the interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.
“Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation. As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.”
UEFA’s position puts several major FIFA tournaments at risk. The 2027 Women’s World Cup could face immediate disruption because European nations are expected to make up a significant part of the competition. Future editions of the men’s FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup could also be affected if the standoff continues.
The confederation reinforced its stance with another clear message, stating: “Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.”
The latest dispute further deepens the already strained relationship between UEFA and FIFA. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin previously boycotted the FIFA World Cup final in protest against FIFA, while the European body also criticised FIFA’s decision to cancel Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension, describing it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”
Meanwhile, reports on Thursday suggested UEFA is considering backing a candidate to challenge Infantino in FIFA’s presidential election next March. Although Infantino is still widely expected to seek another term, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is among the names linked with a possible challenge, despite reports claiming he is reluctant to enter the race.
