European members of UEFA plan to boycott FIFA’s tournaments if Gianni Infantino’s controversial plans to sell the World Cup go ahead.
The decision, first reported by The Times, was taken at a virtual crisis meeting of UEFA’s 55 member nations chaired by its president, Aleksander Ceferin.
The potential for a boycott, which would affect both the men’s and women’s World Cups, surely represents a fatal blow to Infantino’s controversial plans to sell off FIFA’s marquee events.
In a lengthy statement, the governing body confirmed its intentions and described FIFA’s plans, drawn up in secret, as ‘indefensible’ and ‘governance by intimidation’.
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‘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,’ the statement read.
‘Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.
‘There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are prepared to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments.
‘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.’
Only a few days ago, Infantino unveiled his proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup by setting up a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would oversee commercial rights for every tournament.
FIFA’s 211 member associations, including the English Football Association, have been promised windfalls of up to $40 million (£30.1m) each if they agree to the proposal by the September 19 deadline.
But the idea, which blindsided governing bodies across the football world, faced immediate and widespread criticism due to concerns over the influence of private investment into the new company and the tournaments more generally.
UEFA were the first to lambast the plans, claiming that ‘the soul and governance of football are not assets to trade’, while other governing bodies from South America, Asia and Concacaf followed suit, criticising the proposal and the lack of consultation before the public announcement.
Infantino sought to defend the plans in a video released on Wednesday evening, insisting it was ‘an opportunity but not an obligation’.
‘We believe that the FFE proposal would unlock the sport’s potential in every corner of the world across men’s, women’s and youth football,’ he added.
‘In the next (Fifa) Forward cycle alone distributions would rise $8m per member association to $20m.
Why is FIFA’s World Cup sell-off plan being opposed?
FIFA’s aim is to increase revenue from future World Cup and Club World Cup tournaments.
The plan is for FIFA to set up a new company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to deal with the commercial operations.
FIFA would retain the majority share in FFE, which means it would still oversee football governance, fixture calendars and decisions on the pitch.
However, the problem starts with FIFA trying to raise a further $4.2 billion (£3.6m) through private investment.
Although private investors would only have a minority stake in FFE, they would still expect to have a say in decisions related to the World Cup, which could then have an impact on players and supporters.
Private investors could also pressure FIFA into expanding the World Cup, or even hosting the tournament more frequently than every four years.
‘Additionally, each member association will also have the option to access a further $20m through the Fifa Fast Forward Programme, taking the potential funding to $40m per member association for this next cycle.
‘It is a golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally.’
However, UEFA have now reaffirmed their opposition to the proposal with the threat of a boycott if other member associations vote through the proposal in September.
‘We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors,’ its statement added.
‘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.
‘It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.’
‘National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences. This is not a “democratic decision”, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.’
The boycott would cover all FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. The first hypothetical test of that stance could come in October, when the Women’s World Cup play-offs are due to be held.
Confirming its plans in a brief statement, the English Football Association said: ‘We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and fully support the collective view. We oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.’
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