UEFA threatens FIFA World Cup boycott over Gianni Infantino's private investors plan
UEFA has threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions after FIFA president Gianni Infantino proposed selling a stake in the World Cup and other tournaments to private equity investors.
The emergency online meeting with UEFA's 55 member associations led to the announcement, with the next FIFA event being the Women's Under-20 World Cup in Poland from September 5.
UEFA stated: "The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale."
Infantino's plan involves creating a new commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), valued at $20 billion, with private investors owning a 20% stake; the main investor would be a New York firm founded by Joshua Kushner.
Infantino offered FIFA's 211 member associations an additional $20 million each if they approve the proposal by mid-September, projecting each member would receive $86 million through 2038 instead of $36 million.
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