European nations will boycott World Cup unless FIFA abandons controversial sale 

The UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP via Getty Images)

European nations will boycott all FIFA competitions until the global body drops plans to create a company featuring private investors to run the World Cup and other events.

UEFA member associations gathered virtually for a crisis meeting on Thursday afternoon after FIFA’s controversial plans emerged on Tuesday.

Their approach was unequivocal, with a UEFA statement confirming: “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.” 

FIFA issued details of its plans to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) after media reports from The Times and the Financial Times were published on Tuesday afternoon.

FFE would be owned and controlled by FIFA, the global body said, but the intention is to sell minority stakes to private investors. The lead investor is proposed to be Thrive Eternal, a company founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

“UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one,” European football’s governing body said in a statement.

“We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. 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 said the plans would enable it to make significant increases to the development funding available to national associations around the world – up to 10 billion US dollars (£7.5bn) – in the three-year cycle between 2027 and 2030.

Associations were asked to make a decision by September 19 on whether they supported the idea of private investment, with documents seen by the Press Association on Thursday morning indicating FIFA was expecting all investment monies to have been transferred to it by the end of October.

The key concerns of UEFA and others were that, by opening up to private equity, pressure would grow for FIFA competitions to be bigger and ever more frequent – placing pressure on the rest of the calendar and raising concerns of fans facing ever higher ticket prices.

UEFA’s statement continued: “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. 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.

“But our opposition goes far beyond process. The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. 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.

“As a result of today’s discussion, 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.” 

A Football Association spokeswoman said the English governing body stood “shoulder to shoulder” with its European colleagues and added: “We oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.”