European football’s governing body has declared that all of its national associations will stay out of every tournament staged by FIFA until the organization drops a controversial scheme to turn the World Cup into a privately‑owned asset.
UEFA moves to block FIFA's World Cup overhaul
The scheme, championed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, envisions creating a $20 billion subsidiary that would sell a 20 percent stake to private investors. The core of that investment would come from a New York‑based firm founded by Joshua Kushner, a move that UEFA says amounts to an abdication of FIFA’s stewardship over the sport.
In a statement released on Thursday, UEFA accused Infantino of failing to provide leadership and of turning the world’s most watched tournament into a commodity that can be bought and sold. The organization argued that the World Cup belongs to the global football community and must remain under public control.
The backlash was not limited to rhetoric. Member federations across Europe signaled they would stay out of the next scheduled FIFA event, the Women’s Under‑20 World Cup slated for Poland, as a concrete demonstration of their dissent.
Critics within UEFA also pointed to FIFA’s substantial financial reserves, noting that the governing body could fund development programmes without resorting to a sale of its flagship event. The criticism reflects a growing frustration among national associations that feel their interests are being sidelined.
The controversy has already attracted extensive coverage from major news outlets, including The Associated Press, which has been tracking the fallout across the sport’s administrative landscape.