GENEVA, European football associations announce to boycott upcoming FIFA World Cup tournaments after FIFA unveiled plans to sell minority stakes in a new commercial entity responsible for managing the business rights of its flagship competitions.
The decision emerged during a virtual meeting involving the 55 member associations of UEFA, reflecting growing opposition to FIFA’s proposed commercialization strategy.
Dispute Over FIFA’s New Commercial Company
Earlier this week, FIFA confirmed plans to establish FIFA Forward Enterprises, a new company that would manage the commercial operations of major tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
Under the proposal, FIFA would retain majority ownership while offering up to 21 percent of the company to private investors, aiming to raise approximately $4.2 billion.
According to FIFA, the proceeds would be distributed to support its member associations and football development programs worldwide.
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The proposal still requires approval from FIFA’s 211 member associations and the FIFA Council.
UEFA Voices Strong Opposition
UEFA criticized the initiative, arguing that the proposal crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should not exceed.
European football officials expressed concern that introducing private investors into the commercial structure of the sport could undermine football’s governance and long-term independence.
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Other Confederations Raise Concerns
Opposition has also emerged from other continental football bodies.
CONCACAF criticized the consultation process, saying it learned about the proposal through media reports before receiving official information, describing the lack of formal consultation as deeply concerning.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said it was disappointed that such a significant proposal became public before member associations had sufficient opportunity to study and discuss it through established procedures.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that it had participated in consultations and encouraged its member associations to carefully review the proposal before any decision is taken.
Infantino Defends the Proposal
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the initiative, saying football has become one of the world’s most valuable sporting industries and that commercial growth benefits the global game.
He argued that strengthening football’s commercial potential would generate additional resources for development projects across all member associations while maintaining FIFA’s control over its flagship tournaments.
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Infantino also stressed that FIFA would continue to govern world football independently and that competitions such as the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup would remain under FIFA’s authority.
Potential Impact
If European associations proceed with a boycott, it would have significant implications for international football. European nations have historically been among the most successful teams in World Cup history, winning 13 of the tournament’s 23 editions.
Despite the growing opposition, discussions over FIFA’s proposal are expected to continue before any final vote by the organization’s member associations.
