Uefa has convened an emergency meeting for Thursday afternoon with its 55 member associations to discuss a coordinated response to Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. A potential boycott of Fifa tournaments by European nations is among the options being considered.
Discussions have included the possibility of boycotting next year’s Women’s World Cup, the next major event on the Fifa calendar. However, some reluctance exists regarding making the women’s game suffer due to a protest primarily focused on the commercialisation of the men’s World Cup and Club World Cup.
Growing Opposition to Fifa’s Proposal
Uefa’s initial strong criticism of Fifa’s plan, which they described as an attempt to “sell the soul” of football, has garnered significant support from Concacaf (the North, Central American, and Caribbean confederation) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). If their member associations align with these confederations, there could be enough votes to block the proposal.
These three confederations collectively represent 143 of the 211 Fifa members. However, unanimity is not guaranteed, as demonstrated by Czechia’s football association becoming the first European body to endorse the plan.
Infantino, who has received over 200 letters of endorsement for his re-election next year, appears confident in securing sufficient votes. The proposal involves creating a new commercial entity, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), and selling a 20% stake to investors. Several sources suggest that this would necessitate a change to Fifa statutes, which requires a 75% majority, a more challenging threshold to achieve.
On Wednesday evening, Infantino released a video addressing the backlash, stating that FFE is a proposal and part of a democratic and consultation process. He characterised it as an opportunity rather than an obligation, calling it a “golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally.”
Uefa intensified its criticism earlier, accusing Fifa of “using our sport to enrich themselves and their friends.” This accusation followed the revelation that Infantino had set a deadline of September 19 for members to decide on applying for an initial payment of $20m (£15m) from the proposed sell-off. An additional $20m for each association would be made available later, though it is unclear if accepting this money would constitute a formal endorsement, thereby negating the need for a vote.
Uefa stated, “Today we have learned of Fifa’s deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn. This says everything you need to know about this plan.” The organisation added that discussions with various stakeholders indicate significant and growing opposition to Fifa’s scheme, urging a focus on associations, clubs, leagues, players, and fans.
Concacaf also issued a strong intervention, expressing “deep concern” over the lack of due process, as they were only informed of the matter through media reports. The confederation’s president, Victor Montagliani, was reportedly kept unaware of the plans despite his role in the successful US, Mexican, and Canadian bid for the tournament. Concacaf emphasised the importance of good governance, robust processes, and long-term stewardship in decision-making.
The AFC echoed this disapproval, noting they were not consulted on the proposal and were disappointed that such a significant matter entered the public domain before being discussed through established governance channels. The AFC’s statement is understood to have the backing of the Saudi Arabian football federation, a close ally of Infantino and host of the 2034 World Cup.
Elite clubs, represented by the European Football Clubs organisation, also voiced their unhappiness, highlighting that Fifa had not consulted them despite a signed memorandum of understanding. The organisation learned about the proposal through the media, without prior warning.
Incentives and Financial Stakes
Infantino has informed football associations that they have until September 19 to support his plan to sell a portion of Fifa to private investors, offering a £30.1m ($40m) incentive to accept the proposal. Fifa announced on Tuesday its intention to launch FFE, which would manage the sale of Fifa’s commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing, alongside the operational delivery of its tournaments.
The proposal aims to raise up to £3.1bn ($4.2bn) from external investors by selling minority, non-controlling stakes in FFE, which Fifa estimates would be valued at approximately £15bn ($20bn). The governing body suggests these plans, which require approval from member associations, could generate over £7.53bn ($10bn) in “football development funding” over the next four years.
Infantino’s correspondence to the 211 member associations, sent after his plans were reportedly leaked and met with opposition from Uefa, highlighted the financial implications. He warned that countries might receive significantly less cash for development projects, grassroots football, and national teams if they do not support selling over 20% of the new commercial entity overseeing World Cups.
The launch of FFE requires the backing of more than 50% of members, in addition to his ruling council. Infantino indicated that if these conditions are not met, Fifa would proceed with the Forward Programme 4.0, which would mean approximately £7.5m ($10m) per member association for the next cycle.
He further suggested that associations not supporting his plans could miss out on the funds if the majority of the world endorses the venture. The letter stated, “A singular and unique funding opportunity only for those Member Associations who wish to participate, with their decision to be made by September 19 2026 so we can plan ahead and with funds to be available immediately as of January 1 2027.”
The financial stakes have increased, as Fifa previously mentioned on Tuesday that the new venture would provide access to funding of £15m ($20m) from 2027 to 2030, a figure that has now doubled. Fifa has not commented on the potential financial benefits for Infantino from delivering a £15bn ($20bn) venture, nor on how he could remain in his position beyond 2031, given term limits if re-elected next year.
The Football Association (FA) spokeswoman stated they were unaware of the proposal and lacked substantive details, expressing deep concern about the process and governance involved. The Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the Irish FA also confirmed they had not received substantial details and were concerned about the public release of such matters before consultation with member associations. The European Leagues, representing over 1,000 clubs in 31 countries, also condemned Fifa’s plans, a stance supported by the Premier League.
Relations between Uefa and Fifa were already strained, with Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin not attending the World Cup final in protest of Fifa’s governance issues. Uefa’s statement after reports of the plan emerged declared that the “soul and governance of football are not assets to trade,” especially without transparency regarding financial beneficiaries. The organisation reiterated that football does not belong to Fifa to sell.
Fifa later clarified that it was beginning a consultation process after receiving a proposal under review. JP Morgan is acting as financial advisor, with Thrive Capital, whose chief executive is Josh Kushner, expected to lead the investor group. Fifa maintains it would retain sole control over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar, and all sporting and regulatory decisions, with any outside investment being in a Fifa subsidiary.
The emergency meeting of Uefa’s 55 members is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Source: theguardian.com