This Thursday (30th), UEFA and its 55 member associations voted to pass a resolution declaring their boycott of all competitions organised by FIFA; simultaneously, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) also expressed opposition to FIFA’s proposal to sell World Cup equity stakes. With both continental confederations voicing their dissent, a major controversy has erupted in the football world over the operational model of the World Cup.
UEFA issued a formal statement clearly rejecting FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other international competitions to private investors. The European football governing body warned that if the proposal remains unchanged, none of its national teams will participate in any FIFA competition until the plan is entirely abandoned. UEFA also demanded legally binding assurances from FIFA guaranteeing that governance and related rights over its competitions will never again be opened to private capital. UEFA emphasised that the World Cup cannot be treated as an ordinary commodity or investment product and should not be placed under the control of private investors.
CONCACAF, meanwhile, expressed serious concerns about the proposal, citing inadequate procedural safeguards, an artificially short consultation deadline, and the absence of review or approval by relevant FIFA governance bodies. The confederation stressed that football’s achievements have been built collectively by generations of players, national teams, and fans worldwide, and should not be handed over to private capital.
The controversy stems from a plan proposed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino to establish a subsidiary valued at USD 20 billion to operate the World Cup, with minority shares to be sold to private investors. FIFA has set a voting deadline of 19 September for its member associations. If the proposal is approved, member associations would collectively share USD 10 billion in funding from 2027 onwards, averaging approximately USD 40 million per association. Should the proposal be rejected, the total funding pool would be reduced to USD 2.7 billion.
In response to the strong backlash from UEFA and CONCACAF, Infantino stated that the arrangement remains a proposal and is not mandatory. With FIFA’s 211 member associations holding divergent positions, this dispute over the long-term future of the World Cup continues to plague the international football community.
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