The reported scheme to effectively auction off the World Cup could breach EU rules, commissioner warns
Plans to sell off parts of FIFA, which organises the World Cup tournament, will be investigated by the EU and threatens the very existence of the sport itself, Glenn Micallef, the EU’s sport commissioner, said on Wednesday.
Micallef took to social media to warn that reported proposals to auction off minority stakes in FIFA – the Fédération Internationale de Football Association – potentially breach EU competition rules and jeopardise the future of the game, the world’s most popular sport.
“This isn’t baseball,” he said, reminding FIFA of the European origins of football. “The World Cup remains the greatest sporting tournament on the planet, despite FIFA exploiting every commercial opportunity.”
“But enough is enough. The relentless commercialisation of football has become corrosive. It’s threatening the things that made football the world’s most popular sport.”
