UEFA to boycott next World Cup if FIFA President's plan approved

The governing body of soccer in Europe, UEFA, has announced its intention to boycott the next World Cup should FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the tournament to private equity be realized.UEFA member federations agreed on Thursday that European national teams and member clubs will boycott all FIFA competitions should Infantino's plan be approved."UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions," the federation said after a meeting of all its 55 members."This is not merely a profound failure of leadership but an abdication of FIFA's duty as the custodian of world football," the statement continued."The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become a daily pressure."Infantino's plan was revealed on Tuesday after being leaked to the press..The plan entails selling off the commercial arm of the not-for-profit with 20% being owned by private investors and equity firms.The main driver of this is not just the FIFA president but also Joshua Kushner, the brother of American President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who runs a private equity firm out of New York.Infantino had reportedly been sizing up an offer of $20 million to each national confederation that would agree to his plan, an attempt to pit less wealthy confederations against each other.The plan sparked significant backlash across the footballing world as federations, players, and fans accused Infantino of selling the sport to the highest bidder.The boycott by UEFA will likely scupper these plans, as despite just being one of seven continental confederations, UEFA hosts the most successful leagues, teams, and players, giving it an outsized importance in the global footballing landscape.

UEFA to boycott next World Cup if FIFA President's plan approved

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