UEFA nations agree to boycott FIFA over Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell off the World Cup
Graham Dunbar
Updated ,first published
FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell his stake in the World Cup to private equity investors was dealt a sharp blow on Thursday by his former colleagues at UEFA, who agreed to boycott all of the global football body’s competitions in protest.
“UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions,” the European football body said in a statement following an emergency online meeting of 55 members.
The next FIFA tournament will take place in Europe in a few weeks; The U20 Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Poland on September 5.
“Some things are too important to be sold,” UEFA said in a statement. “The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It will always remain so. As long as it is the voice of Europe, it will never be for sale.”
The strategy meeting was called to oppose FIFA president Infantino’s offer of US$20 million ($28.5 million) to each of its 211 global members, which must be accepted by mid-September.
Infantino’s secret project was revealed on Tuesday to split his business operations into a new US$20 billion ($28.5 billion) subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which is 20 percent owned by private investors. The main investor will be a New York investment company founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
On Tuesday, Infantino wrote to the 211 members, who are currently the de facto owners of FIFA as a non-profit association under Swiss law, that if they ratify the FFE, the promised base fund of US$10 million over the next four years will be doubled to US$20 million. FIFA predicted its funding would be US$86 million by 2038, instead of around US$36 million.
“This is not only a profound failure of leadership, but also an abdication by FIFA of its duty as the guardian of world football,” said UEFA, where Infantino was a long-time staffer and CEO-like general secretary when he was first elected to head FIFA in 2016.
Infantino’s high-risk financial gamble could threaten his previously secure 11-year tenure as FIFA president; Anger and frustration towards him grow among football stakeholders, including three of the six continents.
FIFA has given until November 18 to declare potential candidates in the 211-member presidential vote, which is planned to be held in Rabat, Morocco next March.
Infantino appeared to have a clear path to re-election unopposed for a fourth and final term through 2031 after the World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 11 days ago.
Football officials have said privately that Infantino wants a commissioner-like role in the post-2031 FIFA Forward Enterprise side project.
“Game over, Gianni #InfantinOUT”, the European Football Fans group, which advises UEFA on fan issues such as ticket prices, Posted after boycott threat.
UEFA explained on Thursday why football officials fear external investors are taking a stake in football’s biggest events, including the World Cups and the men’s and women’s Club World Cups.
“The moment external investors acquire ownership rights in FIFA competitions, football changes forever,” UEFA said. “Business returns are becoming a permanent necessity. Investor expectations are becoming a daily pressure.”
Infantino presented the private equity bid as a chance to “turbocharge” the development of football around the world, where the majority of FIFA’s 211 members rely on these funds.
Officials from around 40 UEFA members who spoke at the emergency meeting expressed anger that FIFA was not using some of its multibillion-dollar reserves to fund extra development programmes.
“As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national team will participate in any FIFA competition as long as these proposals survive,” the European football body said, “unless this proposal is completely abandoned and binding assurances are given that FIFA will never again open its administration or its competitions to private ownership.”
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