European countries set to boycott 2030 World Cup if FIFA go ahead with controversial plan
All 55 UEFA countries have agreed to boycott the World Cup amid FIFA's plans to sell stakes in a private company.
According to Sky News, following an emergency Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) meeting that took place today (July 30), European nations will not take part in the next soccer tournament if Gianni Infantino gets his way.
UEFA has made its feeling very clear about FIFA's plan, which involves private funding in its controversial World Cup company to be completed by the end of October.
It said in a new statement: "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."
Advert
This follows a statement issued on Tuesday where it said that FIFA's plan 'crosses a line'.
"This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," UEFA said.
"UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every national football association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game."
It went on: "The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.
"None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA's to sell."
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 doubled down in today's announcement.
"We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors."
It added: "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."
Topics: World Cup, Sport, World News, Europe, Football
Niamh Shackleton