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UEFA members voted unanimously Thursday to boycott future World Cups if FIFA moves forward with plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.
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The decision to “unequivocally reject” FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s recent proposal was made during an emergency virtual meeting of the Union of European Football Association’s 55 member nations.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product,” UEFA said in a statement. “It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
FIFA outlined a plan Tuesday to raise $20 billion in outside investments by selling shares to a private equity group. The proposal will soon be presented to the 211 member associations and FIFA’s 37-member council, which would be the sole final decision-makers, a FIFA spokesperson said.
FIFA said the move is part of a plan that could triple the amount of development money for member associations, allowing access to up to $20 million in one-off capital to spend on improvements to infrastructure, coaching, national teams, competitions, grassroots football and the women’s game.
ESPN reported that representatives of more than 50 associations took the floor in a unified response during the UEFA meeting on Thursday to express their anger.
“As a result of today’s discussion,” the UEFA statement continued, “no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.
“Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.
“There are moments when institutions are judged not by what they are prepared to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments. Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.”
UEFA said there was no “meaningful consultation” before FIFA announced its plan.
“It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game,” UEFA said.
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“This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football. National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences.
“This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance by intimidation — an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.”
UEFA members include Spain, the 2026 World Cup champions; along with Germany, France and England.
The first chance for UEFA to implement the boycott will be in September when Poland is scheduled to host the Women’s U-20 World Cup.
UEFA said its list of concerns includes the potential influence of outside investors.
“The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation,” UEFA said.
“Investor expectations become a daily pressure. From that moment onwards, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on competition formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders.
“This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. Nor can the interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns.
“Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain. Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation.”
Read more UEFA to boycott FIFA events: ‘World Cup not for sale’
–Field Level Media
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This story was originally published July 30, 2026 at 10:12 AM.