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European soccer's governing body, UEFA, has voted to boycott all FIFA events, including the World Cup, due to a controversial proposal by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The plan involves selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors to raise $20 billion. An investor group led by Joshua Kushner, brother of President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is reportedly expected to buy a 20% stake.
The decision was made during an emergency meeting of UEFA's 55 member nations on Thursday (July 30) in Nyon, Switzerland. UEFA's statement emphasized that "football is not FIFA's to sell," highlighting concerns about transparency and the governance of the sport. The boycott would extend to the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup if the plan proceeds.
FIFA's proposal aims to create the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a body that would manage commercial and event operations, including future World Cups. Infantino has set a deadline of September 19 for FIFA's 211 member federations to accept $20 million offers as part of the investment plan.
The plan has faced significant opposition from various soccer organizations and political figures, including U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who criticized the proposal, stating, "Football does not belong to investors." FIFA's previous attempts to involve private investors have also met resistance, such as the failed $25 billion deal with SoftBank in 2018.
UEFA's boycott threat mirrors its previous opposition to FIFA's 2021 proposal to hold the World Cup every two years, which was also abandoned. The ongoing conflict between FIFA and UEFA underscores the tension over the commercialization of soccer and the control of its major events.