By God’sbest Christ’sfullness
UEFA and its 55 member associations have unanimously opposed FIFA’s proposal to allow private investors to acquire ownership stakes in the FIFA World Cup and other major competitions, warning that European national teams could boycott FIFA tournaments if the plan is implemented.
In a statement released on Thursday, UEFA described the proposal as an attempt to commercialise football’s biggest competition, insisting that the FIFA World Cup should remain a sporting event and not become an investment asset.
The European football governing body criticised FIFA for developing the proposal without sufficient consultation, stressing that decisions of such magnitude should involve key stakeholders responsible for the governance and development of the game.
UEFA further argued that introducing private investors into FIFA competitions could shift football’s priorities from sporting excellence to financial returns, with major decisions potentially being influenced by shareholder interests.
The organisation revealed that its member associations had agreed that no UEFA national team would participate in FIFA competitions if the proposal goes ahead, unless FIFA completely withdraws the plan and guarantees that its tournaments will not be opened to private ownership.
The proposal is linked to FIFA’s plan to establish a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would manage the commercial rights of the World Cup and other FIFA competitions while offering minority stakes to external investors.
FIFA has defended the initiative, stating that it could generate more than $10 billion over the next four years to support football development worldwide. The world football governing body also maintained that it would retain full control over governance and sporting decisions.
However, the proposal has attracted criticism from several football organisations, including European Leagues and FIFPRO Europe, which have raised concerns about its potential impact on the governance, integrity and long-term future of the sport.
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