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Uefa Calls Emergency Meeting Over Fifa World Cup Sell-Off Plan

Uefa has called an emergency meeting of its 55 members for Thursday afternoon to discuss a coordinated response to Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

  • Uefa's 55 members will meet on Thursday afternoon to discuss a coordinated response.
  • A European boycott of Fifa tournaments, including next year's Women's World Cup, is among the options being considered.
  • Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have also expressed strong opposition to the plan.

Uefa has called an emergency meeting for Thursday afternoon, bringing together its 55 members to discuss a unified response to Fifa President Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. Among the options under consideration is a potential European boycott of Fifa tournaments.

Preliminary discussions have mentioned a boycott of next year's Women's World Cup, though some reluctance exists to impact the women's game, as the Fifa proposals primarily focus on monetising the men's World Cup and Club World Cup.

Uefa's strong condemnation of the plan has garnered significant support from Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). These three confederations collectively represent 143 of Fifa's 211 members, and if their members follow suit, there could be enough votes to block the proposal. However, unanimity is not guaranteed, as Czechia has already backed the plan.

Uefa has accused Fifa of "using our sport to enrich themselves and their friends" after Infantino reportedly presented members with a 19 September deadline to decide on an initial $20m (£15m) payment from the proposed sell-off. A further $20m would be available later, though it is unclear if accepting the money would equate to a formal endorsement.

Concacaf and the AFC have also voiced their disappointment over the lack of consultation regarding the proposal. Concacaf stated it was only made aware through media reports, while the AFC expressed disappointment that such a significant matter entered the public domain before discussions with its family of members.

Why this matters: The proposed sale of World Cup stakes and the strong opposition from major football confederations could significantly impact the future commercial and governance structure of global football.

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