The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has threatened to boycott all competitions organised by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), including the FIFA World Cup, if proposals to allow private investors to acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions are not permanently withdrawn.
In a strongly worded statement issued on behalf of UEFA and its 55 national associations on Thursday, the European football governing body declared that none of its member associations would participate in competitions organised by FIFA for as long as the proposals remain under consideration.
"As a result of today's discussion, 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," UEFA said.
The organisation stressed that its opposition was unanimous, describing the proposal as a direct threat to the future of world football.
"UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors."
