UEFA has unanimously agreed to boycott FIFA competitions if the world governing body proceeds with plans to create a new commercial subsidiary and sell a minority stake in it to private investors, escalating a growing dispute over the future governance of world football.
The proposed company would manage FIFA's commercial rights, including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing, and licensing agreements for its tournaments, most notably the FIFA World Cup. FIFA has valued the new entity, known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), at around USD20 billion and plans to sell non-controlling minority stakes to long-term investors.
Representatives of UEFA's 55 member associations backed a common position during a meeting dedicated to the issue. In a strongly worded statement, UEFA declared that no European national team would participate in FIFA competitions if the proposal moves forward.
"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 organization also rejected the idea of private investment in football's flagship tournament, stating: "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale."
