UEFA will consider boycotting FIFA tournaments on Thursday over an investment plan
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss a possible response to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA)’s plans to bring in outside investors for the organization’s commercial projects.
Representatives from all 55 UEFA member associations will participate in the meeting. One of the possible responses being considered is a boycott of FIFA-sponsored events, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
Dissatisfaction with FIFA’s initiative has been expressed not only within UEFA. The European position has been supported by the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). If these organizations were to stage a joint boycott, the participation of 143 out of 211 FIFA members could be called into question.
The conflict stems from FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plans to create a subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which will handle commercial activities and the organization of soccer events. The company is expected to have a turnover of about $20 billion, and outside investors will be able to acquire up to 20% of its shares.
According to media reports, American entrepreneur Joshua Kushner—the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump—is being considered as a potential investor.
The idea has been criticized by a number of soccer organizations, sports officials, and prominent figures. In particular, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and former FIFA President Joseph Blatter have spoken out against it.
Following the wave of criticism, Infantino stated that the creation of the FFE is merely a proposal, not a final decision. He emphasized that strengthening the commercial aspect of soccer could be a natural stage in the sport’s development.
This was reported by The Guardian.
As a reminder, European soccer associations will discuss this week the possibility of boycotting the World Cup if FIFA President Gianni Infantino proceeds with plans to create a new commercial structure and bring in private investors.
FIFA plans to change the governance model for its major soccer tournaments. The organization is creating a new company to which the commercial rights to the World Cups will be transferred, and it intends to sell a portion of its shares to investors. One of the main contenders to participate in the project is said to be the fund of American billionaire Joshua Kushner—the brother of Ivanka Trump’s husband.
