European nations to boycott World Cup in protest against FIFA sell-off
The decision was agreed unanimously at an emergency virtual meeting of Uefa’s 55 member nations
England and Uefa’s other European members will boycott Fifa tournaments if Gianni Infantino presses ahead with controverisal plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
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The decision was reportedly agreed unanimously at an emergency virtual meeting of Uefa’s 55 member nations.
It comes on the 60th anniversary of England’s 1966 World Cup victory - and could derail the proposal entirely.
Infantino told the organisation’s 211 member associations they have until 19 September to back the plan or face financial consequences.
But without Europe’s leading teams, any World Cup investment scheme would be severely weakened.
Read more: Infantino insists FIFA World Cup plan is proposal not 'obligation' as UEFA holds emergency meeting
Read more: Gianni Infantino’s answer to Fifa critics? Sell the World Cup and tell them to smile
Their approach was unequivocal, with a UEFA statement confirming: “No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.”
It comes after former FA chairman David Bernstein branded the proposed sell-off “clearly unacceptable”, warning it is “rife with cronyism and nepotism”.
Speaking to Nick Ferrari on Thursday, Mr Bernstein said England could not take on Fifa alone - but insisted a coordinated Uefa boycott would make the tournament “unthinkable”.
"A World Cup without Uefa, without the European nations, is unthinkable really,” he said.
“It would be devalued, and it would be a lose-lose for all sides.”
Mr Bernstein warned Fifa president Gianni Infantino remains a “shrewd operator” with significant influence over national associations through the distribution of funding.
But he said the row risked creating a split in world football, threatening the unity of a sport played across the globe under one set of rules.
The proposals tabled by Infantino are said to include plans for a separate $20bn (£15bn) company, created in order to run its international competitions, with 20% of that total to be offered to external investors.
It comes amid reports that Fifa has expedited the investment process in the wake of plans leaking, with the first private financing to take place in less than 100 days - an accelerated launch of a new World Cup spinoff venture.
FIFA issued details of its plans to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) after media reports from The Times and the Financial Times were published on Tuesday afternoon.
FFE would be owned and controlled by FIFA, the global body said, but the intention is to sell minority stakes to private investors.
The lead investor is proposed to be Thrive Eternal, a company founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of United States President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
“UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one,” European football’s governing body said in a statement.
“We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.
“The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
With the next World Cup set to be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain in 2030, the boycott raises significant questions over whether the tournament can go ahead as planned.
The first real test of Uefa's boycott plans will come next year during the Women's World Cup, hosted in Brazil.
Let me say this very directly.
— Andy Burnham (@andyburnham) July 28, 2026
Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine.
The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never…
The proposal has sparked a furious backlash, with the Football Association saying it was “deeply concerned” and Uefa warning that the World Cup is not an “asset to trade”.
Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, has also criticised Fifa, saying it learned of the plans through media reports and a subsequent press release.
The confederation said it was “deeply concerned” by the lack of due process and called for decisions to be guided by “good governance, robust processes and long-term stewardship”.
The plan has been criticised by new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who said the World Cup is “not a product” and belongs to fans and not investors.