On Thursday, UEFA and its 55 member associations made a unanimous decision to boycott all FIFA tournaments if the organization proceeds with its plan to sell a stake in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. This move poses a serious risk to the proposal and could lead to a significant crisis for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
What a European walkout would cost Fifa
Following an emergency online meeting, UEFA announced that no national teams from its member countries would take part in any FIFA competitions as long as a controversial proposal is active. This plan, introduced on Tuesday, aims to create a $20 billion subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) responsible for managing FIFA’s commercial and tournament operations. UEFA emphasized that the World Cup should never be viewed as a mere investment opportunity, stating, “The World Cup is not for sale.”
A boycott from UEFA could significantly diminish the sporting and commercial value of FIFA’s tournaments, especially since six of the top ten ranked men’s and women’s teams are from Europe. Furthermore, six of the eight quarter-final teams in the upcoming 2026 World Cup are from UEFA nations. This includes the reigning men’s world champions, Spain, along with other prominent UEFA members like France and England. Notably, Spain and Portugal are co-hosting the 2030 men’s World Cup alongside Morocco.
The imminent FIFA event is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup, which kicks off in Poland on September 5. Additionally, four British football associations have emerged as the sole bidders to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup, with a decision expected on November 23. If European teams choose to withdraw, the 2027 Senior Women’s World Cup in Brazil would also miss many of its star participants.
According to Reuters, UEFA’s club competitions, particularly the Champions League, generated €4.4 billion ($5 billion) in the 2024-25 season, highlighting Europe’s crucial role in football economics. Roger Bennett, CEO and founder of the Men in Blazers Media Network, indicated to Reuters that FIFA might have underestimated UEFA’s influence across its 55 member nations. He described this miscalculation as “an astonishing thing to witness.”
The opposition to FIFA’s proposal extends beyond Europe. CONCACAF, which includes the 2026 World Cup co-hosts — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — expressed serious concerns about the proposal’s rapid timeline and lack of thorough review. The football associations of the U.S. and Canada declared their support for the confederation.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, historically an ally of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, also raised alarms about FIFA’s unilateral actions threatening the foundations of continental football, according to Reuters. Additionally, FIFPRO, the global players’ union, cautioned that the plan could drastically alter the incentives that drive the tournaments where players develop their careers.
Under the proposed plan, FIFA intends to transfer media rights, sponsorship, licensing, and other commercial activities into FFE, which would be valued at approximately $20 billion. FIFA aims to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a minority stake to outside investors while maintaining majority board control. If approved, each of FIFA’s 211 member associations would receive a one-time payment of $20 million in early 2027 and see their allocations for the 2027-2030 cycle rise from $8 million to $20 million, according to AFP. FIFA refers to for-profit ventures by the PGA Tour, Formula One, and La Liga as precedents for this restructuring.
Political scrutiny has also emerged, with Representative Jamie Raskin demanding information about any ties between FIFA and Donald Trump or his organization, calling the plan a potential sign of corruption. Infantino, who previously served as UEFA’s general secretary before becoming FIFA’s president in 2016, has faced resistance from Europe in the past, including a previous attempt to host the World Cup every two years, which was halted by UEFA’s threats of a boycott.
Last year, Infantino initiated the FIFA Peace Prize and honored Trump with the award. He subsequently attended Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace session, a group established for overseeing governance in Gaza. Just before the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19, FIFA delayed a suspension against U.S. forward Folarin Balogun after Trump requested Infantino reconsider the action. Critics suggested this delay was a direct result of Infantino’s relationship with the White House.
In a video message released before UEFA’s vote, Infantino touted the proposal as a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of football globally,” asserting its optional nature and that it would still require approval from FIFA’s 211 members and its governing council.
Infantino’s record, and his defence
The English FA expressed its solidarity with Uefa, stating they stand ‘shoulder to shoulder.’ Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian FA, voiced concerns about the potential secrecy surrounding a project that could fundamentally alter their established framework. Alexander Wehrle, chairman of the supervisory board for the German FA’s economic and digital subsidiary and CEO of VfB Stuttgart, remarked to Reuters that ‘a line has once again been crossed’ and questioned whether Infantino had ever truly experienced being among the fans. British culture secretary Lisa Nandy emphasized that football should belong ‘to the fans, not billionaire investors,’ a sentiment echoed by EU sport and culture commissioner Glenn Micallef, who supported Uefa on the platform X.
Match Outlook
Hours later, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and its 41 member associations also turned down the proposal, although they refrained from issuing a boycott threat. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) responded with a critical letter, while the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instructed its executive committee to evaluate the proposal in the coming week.
This initiative stems from private discussions held last year between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and venture capitalist Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump, as reported by Bloomberg. In early 2026, FIFA engaged JPMorgan Chase to organize the media rights and attract investors. Kushner’s new investment firm, Thrive Eternal — already involved with Major League Baseball’s San Francisco Giants — is anticipated to spearhead the investor group as a primary backer.
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Infantino anticipates a total funding of $86 million per member by 2038, a significant increase from the current model’s $36 million, as reported by the Associated Press. Members must make their decision by the September 19 deadline.
Infantino’s re-election is set for March 2027 in Rabat, with nominations closing on November 18. Although he seemed poised to run unopposed, backed by over 200 members according to The Guardian, European officials are reportedly exploring potential challengers. One name being considered is Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of Qatar Sports Investments, which owns Paris Saint-Germain.
