Beijing Time (CEST) July 30th, UEFA issued a press release to media outlets announcing that if Infantino proceeds with his plan to sell FIFA World Cup shares, all 55 of their member associations will collectively boycott the FIFA World Cup.
Official UEFA Statement:
We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership rights of the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The FIFA World Cup must never be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies, built up by generations of players, national teams, and fans across continents. No part of the FIFA World Cup should ever be handed over to private capital. The FIFA World Cup is not for sale.
This proposal, which would have far-reaching implications for football, was secretly planned throughout, and nearly approved without any substantive consultation with the parties responsible for football governance. This act is both irresponsible and unjustified, representing not only a major dereliction of leadership duties but also a complete abandonment of FIFA’s responsibilities as the custodian of world football.
FIFA has now issued an ultimatum to national football associations worldwide: either accept the irreversible control of football's top competitions by capital, or face the consequences. This is by no means a "democratic decision" but rather governance by intimidation, a coercive and authoritarian operation that is entirely unworthy of an organization responsible for global football.
And our objections go far beyond procedural issues.
Once external capital acquires ownership of FIFA competitions, the sport of football will be completely rewritten. Commercial returns will become a permanent, rigid metric, and investors' profit expectations will transform into daily pressure. From that moment on, all decisions regarding the international match calendar, competition formats, and the future direction of football will no longer be based on the best interests of football itself, but rather driven by shareholder interests.
This model is absolutely unsuitable for world football. The future of football cannot be dictated by the will of capital whose primary goal is profit maximization; the core interests of national associations, leagues, clubs, players, and fans must never be subordinated to the demands of investors' returns. Football cannot mortgage its long-term future for short-term economic gains.
Our position is very clear: we will never legitimize this model. No one has the moral right to sell off football assets that they are merely entrusted to safeguard for future generations.
Following today's discussions, UEFA has resolved that: as long as the aforementioned privatization proposal is not completely abandoned, and FIFA does not issue a binding commitment guaranteeing that competition management rights and ownership will never again be opened to private capital, all national teams under UEFA will no longer participate in any FIFA-organized competitions. Everyone should be clear: UEFA and all its member associations will boycott this plan with unwavering resolve.
Judging an organization sometimes depends not on what it is willing to compromise, but on what it steadfastly refuses to concede. This is precisely such a critical moment. Some things are too important to be sold. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football itself, and always will. As long as European football retains its voice, the FIFA World Cup will never be traded away.
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limimnyz
1
To be honest I want infantino leave