The UEFA logo is pictured at the headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland October 10, 2023 REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
UEFA has threatened to pull all 55 of its member nations out of FIFA competitions after unanimously rejecting plans to sell a stake in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors, setting up one of the biggest power struggles in modern football.
The warning came after UEFA’s member associations held an emergency virtual meeting on Thursday in response to FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to transfer the governing body’s commercial and tournament operations into a new subsidiary valued at $20 billion. Under the plan, up to 20% of the company would be sold to outside investors.
FIFA says the proposed entity, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise, would oversee commercial and event operations, including future men’s and women’s World Cups, as part of what Infantino described as an effort to “unleash the commercial potential and opportunity that FIFA has.” The governing body is reportedly working with JPMorgan on the deal, while Thrive Eternal, an investment fund founded by Joshua Kushner, is expected to be the lead investor. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA’s 211 member associations have reportedly been given until September 19 to accept a one-time payment of $20 million linked to the proposal.
UEFA Left Little Room for Compromise.
“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,” the organisation said in a statement.
It also defended the World Cup as a global sporting institution rather than a commercial asset.
“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 World Cup is not for sale.”
Support for UEFA’s position quickly spread. The English FA backed the proposed boycott, saying it “stands shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues.” The Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF had already criticised FIFA, arguing they were never consulted before the proposal was unveiled.
Opposition has also reached beyond football. Sources familiar with the discussions said there was strong resistance within UEFA, which argued the proposal crossed a line football’s governing bodies should never cross. Political leaders have also entered the debate. U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham publicly criticised the plan on social media, writing that “football does not belong to investors.”
FIFA has maintained that it would remain the majority owner of the new subsidiary and keep full control over governance, scheduling and regulatory decisions despite bringing in outside investment.
Whether those assurances will prevent a boycott remains uncertain. The dispute now hangs over two upcoming FIFA events: next year’s Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the inaugural Under-15 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan this October.
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah