Uefa has declared it will stage a complete boycott of Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, should Gianni Infantino's contentious plans to sell stakes in its tournaments to private investors be voted through. This drastic measure, following an emergency Uefa meeting on Thursday, was "unanimously" agreed upon by all 55 of Uefa's member associations.
A statement from Uefa confirmed that "no Uefa national teams will participate in any Fifa competition for so long as these proposals remain alive." This move carries significant weight, as a World Cup without major European nations like champions Spain, France, England, and Germany would compromise Fifa's revenue goals. Six of the eight quarter-finalists from this summer’s World Cup were European teams.
The English FA has echoed Uefa's sentiment, stating, "We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and fully support the collective view. We oppose Fifa’s plans – the Fifa World Cup belongs to football and always will." Fifa's proposals, revealed on Tuesday, involve creating a new $20bn subsidiary, with 20 per cent owned by private investors, to manage commercial rights and delivery of major tournaments.
Uefa has criticised these plans as an "abdication of Fifa’s duty as the custodian of world football," arguing that external investors would make commercial return a permanent obligation. Fifa President Gianni Infantino has, however, promised national federations increased 'Fifa Forward' funding from around $8m to $20m for the 2027-2031 cycle if the new subsidiary is created, along with a "one-off" payment of another $20m for those who vote in favour on 19 September.
Uefa's confirmation of the boycott comes ahead of a vote among Fifa’s 211 member associations on 19 September. Infantino's proposals require a majority vote of above 50 per cent, as well as backing from the Fifa Council, meaning Uefa needs further support from other federations to prevent the proposals from passing and to avoid the boycott.