Uefa is convening an emergency virtual meeting of its 55 member associations this week to formulate a coordinated response to Fifa's plan to sell minority stakes in its flagship competitions to private investors, including sovereign wealth funds. Among the options expected to be discussed, according to sources familiar with the matter, is the possibility of a World Cup boycott.
The proposal — first reported on Tuesday by the Financial Times and The Times — envisions Fifa creating a commercial subsidiary that would manage its major events, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup. External investors would be able to buy stakes in this entity, raising fears that too much influence over international football's crown-jewel competitions could fall into private hands.
The Football Association has publicly voiced its alarm. "We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details," an FA spokesperson said in a statement. "Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point."
BBC Sport has learned that at least two of Fifa's eight vice-presidents were not consulted before the plan was released. One senior figure within the English game described the threat as "one of the biggest the game has faced," comparing it to the 2021 European Super League — though few expect Fifa to back down the way that breakaway project did within 48 hours.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has already taken a强硬 stance, having boycotted this month's World Cup final in protest at a series of controversial moves by world football's governing body. Those included US President Donald Trump intervening to have USA forward Folarin Balogun's one-match ban converted into a suspended suspension, allowing him to feature in the round-of-16 tie against Belgium.
Fifa argues the plan is necessary to extend global development funding to $10bn (£7.5bn) and offer each of its 211 member associations access to up to $20m (£15m) in one-off capital. But critics fear the pursuit of greater revenue could lead to even more expansion of an already congested calendar, with the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cup played more frequently and featuring more participants.
While Uefa accounts for only a quarter of Fifa's 211-country membership, the European body holds significant leverage: six of the eight quarter-finalists at this summer's World Cup — including eventual winners Spain — were European nations, a statistic that underscores how much value European involvement brings to any global competition.
Sources
- BBC Sport: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cvg7vglq9wpo
