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UEFA To Boycott World Cup? Explosive Development Emerges Amid FIFA’s Plan To Sell Stake To Private Investors

Samira Vishwas | July 31, 2026 1:24 AM CST

In an explosive turn of events UEFA and its 55 member nations have voted unanimously to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions as a sign of protest as the world football’s governing body plans to sell a stake to the external or private investors.

UEFA urges no proposal of FIFA competitions to private investors

The dramatic move came after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued a scathing letter to the continent’s ‌47 member associations and warned the proposal would never succeed without the support of all of football’s regional blocs.

European soccer’s ruling body said the World Cup was not for sale and could not be treated as an investment product ⁠or surrendered to private investors.

AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa said his body was not consulted by FIFA at any level prior to the public announcement and declared that, and the lack of any detailed governance, financial or legal analysis of the proposal, as “totally unacceptable”.

The AFC’s forthright criticism heaps further pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has spearheaded the contentious plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events, while offering minority stakes to private investors.

CONCACAF, the regional bloc for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also criticised FIFA for a lack of consultation. Infantino offered FIFA’s 211 member associations $40 million each if they agree to the proposal by September 19 as part of a $10 billion package to become available from January 1, 2027.

If ‌rejected, the ⁠package would revert to $2.7 billion previously offered, around $10 million per member association.

Infantino said FIFA will put the proposal to a vote by its member associations (MAs) and then to its executive Council.

However, Sheikh Salman said it would need all six of the regional blocs behind it.

The African confederation’s executive committee will meet next week to evaluate the proposal, while the Oceania confederation, the smallest regional bloc with 11 full member nations, said it would discuss the proposal at a meeting next month.

South American governing body CONMEBOL has yet to comment publicly.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Aayushman Vishwanathan

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