UEFA and its 55 national federations have unanimously voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, if the global governing body proceeds with its plan to sell a 20% stake in its commercial rights, including the World Cup, to private investors. This decision comes after FIFA announced its intention to commercialize the World Cup and other tournaments by consolidating them into a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and selling off a significant stake to outside investors. The lead investor, Thrive Eternal, is led by Joshua Kushner, whose family has close ties to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
UEFA's strong stance is rooted in its belief that the World Cup is not a private asset to be sold, but rather a sporting legacy that belongs to football and its fans. The confederation argues that private ownership would prioritize commercial returns and investor expectations over the best interests of the sport, influencing decisions on the international calendar, competition formats, and the future of football. They criticized FIFA for a profound failure of leadership and an abdication of its duty as a custodian of world football, stating that the proposal was conceived in secret without meaningful consultation.
Other confederations, including CONCACAF, have echoed similar concerns about the lack of due process, the short deadline imposed by FIFA, and the absence of review by relevant governance bodies. U.S. Soccer also expressed strong opposition, emphasizing the lack of transparency, involvement, and debate surrounding the proposal. FIFA, led by president Gianni Infantino, has attempted to assuage concerns by stating that the FFE proposal is an offer and part of a democratic consultation process, and that investors would only have a minority share without operational control. However, these assurances have not convinced UEFA or other dissenting federations.
