European countries decided to boycott the World Cup and all FIFA competitions on Thursday. This move aims to protest FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to involve private equity investors in soccer’s major tournament. The North American soccer body also rejected this plan.
UEFA, representing European soccer, announced the decision after an online meeting with its 55 member nations. They have refused to join FIFA competitions, with the next event, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup, scheduled in Poland soon. UEFA stated that the World Cup belongs to football and should not be sold.
The European soccer body has acted quickly to counter Infantino’s proposal. This plan involved offering $20 million to each of FIFA’s 211 global members, requiring acceptance by mid-September. CONCACAF, another soccer body with 41 members, also rejected the plan, highlighting concerns over the proposal’s rushed process and the lack of official review.
Infantino’s secret project would create a $20 billion subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, with 20% owned by private investors. A New York investment firm, linked to Joshua Kushner, would be the core investor. Infantino promised doubled funding to members if they approved the plan, projecting future funding to be much higher.
UEFA criticized Infantino, once part of its staff, calling his leadership a significant failure. Anger towards Infantino is growing among soccer stakeholders. The upcoming Nov. 18 deadline will determine candidates for the presidential vote in March, planned in Morocco.
Despite winning support previously, Infantino faces difficulties now, particularly after a decision involving a U.S. player in a recent game. Some officials speculate Infantino might seek a high-paying role at the FFE spinoff later.
The Football Supporters Europe group voiced its frustration on social media after the boycott announcement. UEFA expressed concerns that private investment could change the nature of soccer events permanently, turning commercial profit into a constant obligation.
Infantino claimed the private equity offer aimed to enhance soccer funding worldwide. However, UEFA members insisted on using FIFA reserves for development. UEFA concluded that no participation would occur in FIFA events until the proposal ended permanently.
Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also expressed concerns. He noted that FIFA’s actions risked their own contests. Al Khalifa, an ally of Infantino since losing a presidential election in 2016, emphasized support from confederations is crucial.
Infantino defended the proposal as voluntary, in a message released Wednesday. FIFA’s presentation advised better capitalizing on rights and sponsorships, suggesting the plan would include more teams and possibly more frequent competitions.
However, this might conflict with existing regional tournaments organized by bodies like UEFA and AFC. Sheikh Salman urged a thorough understanding of the proposal’s impact on global and Asian soccer.The prospect of a World Cup boycott from Europe previously halted Infantino’s two-year World Cup proposal in 2021.
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