UEFA threatens to lead a mass boycott of the World Cup by multiple teams

European nations could boycott the World Cup if the plan to sell a portion of FIFA's ownership, proposed by President Gianni Infantino, is passed.

Earlier, media revealed FIFA is planning to establish a subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise, which will manage major tournaments such as the World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, while also selling shares to private investors.

According to the proposal, selling up to 20% of the new company's shares could help FIFA generate over £3 billion. However, this plan has faced strong opposition, including from the Mayor of Greater Manchester (UK), Andy Burnham.

If the deal succeeds, Infantino is reportedly set to receive a very large bonus. After his term as FIFA President ends in 2031, he could also take on the role of 'commissioner' of the new company, with an income of up to tens of millions of pounds.

UEFA convenes an emergency meeting

UEFA issued a statement strongly criticizing this plan: "This is a line that football governing bodies must never cross. UEFA considers this an extremely serious issue. All member associations, leagues, clubs, players, fans, governments, and everyone who cares about the future of football should see it the same way.

The soul and governance of football are not assets to be bought and sold, especially when there is a complete lack of transparency about who will financially benefit. None of us owns football, and FIFA has no right to sell it."

According to Sky News, UEFA member associations will hold an emergency online meeting this week to discuss the possibility of boycotting the World Cup in protest against FIFA's plan. SunSport confirms that the English Football Association (FA) was not previously informed about this project.

Tensions between UEFA and FIFA keep rising

Football associations had met with FIFA before the 2026 World Cup final, but the aforementioned plan was not discussed at all.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has repeatedly criticized FIFA recently. He once expressed outrage when Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension was lifted following an exchange between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump.

Ceferin was present at the opening match of the World Cup in Mexico but notably did not attend the final.

Infantino defends the plan

In response to the criticism, Infantino asserted that the new model will help FIFA allocate more financial resources to member associations.

He said: "The next phase of FIFA's development needs a new model, where the commercial arm operates as a specialized business and the value created will be shared more widely around the world. All FIFA member associations need fair access to financial resources to determine their own future. This is a process of democratizing football on a global scale."

Under the plan, each member association could receive $20 million (about £15 million) in the 2027-2030 period, a significant increase from the current $8 million (about £6 million).

Risk of further expansion of the World Cup

The 2027 Women's World Cup will be held in Brazil, while the host country for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup has not yet been determined. The 2030 Men's World Cup is scheduled to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.

Even if all UEFA associations oppose it, FIFA can still pass the plan if it receives a majority of yes votes from the 211 member associations worldwide.

However, if UEFA actually boycotts the World Cup, it would be a huge blow to FIFA because European football remains the center of world football both in terms of professional quality and commercial value.

According to statistics, the 2022-2026 World Cup cycle brought FIFA about £11.3 billion in revenue. To continue increasing revenue, FIFA is reportedly planning to expand the World Cup to 64 teams, and there are even concerns that the tournament could be held more than once every four years in the future.