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The European football community has taken a strong stand against FIFA’s latest proposal. On Thursday, UEFA ’s member associations unanimously agreed to boycott the FIFA World Cup and all other FIFA competitions if the governing body goes ahead with its plan to allow outside investors to buy a stake in a new company that would run its tournaments. UEFA said football’s biggest competitions should never become private investment assets. The development comes just two days after FIFA announced its proposal, drawing criticism from several football bodies around the world.

UEFA countries unite against FIFA World Cup investment proposal
UEFA announced the decision after holding a virtual meeting with its member associations on Thursday. The organization said no UEFA national team would take part in any FIFA competition as long as the proposal remains on the table.

It also demanded that FIFA completely withdraw the plan and give a binding guarantee that it will never again try to bring private ownership into the governance or operation of its competitions.

In its statement, UEFA said, “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.”

The organization also made its position clear by saying, “The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”

The English Football Association also backed UEFA’s decision. A spokesperson for the FA said the organization “stands shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues,” showing that England fully supports UEFA’s stand against the proposal.

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FIFA’s $20 billion plan draws criticism from football bodies
FIFA revealed on Tuesday that it wants to create a new subsidiary worth around $20 billion to manage the World Cup and its other tournaments. Under the proposal, outside investors could buy up to a 20% stake in that company. FIFA believes the move would help manage and grow its competitions through outside investment.

However, the idea has faced immediate resistance. UEFA is not the only football body that has raised concerns. Earlier, both the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF said they were not consulted before FIFA announced the proposal. They questioned the process and expressed strong objections to the plan.

The disagreement comes at an important time for international football. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil next year, while FIFA will also launch its first Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan this October.

With UEFA threatening to stay away from FIFA competitions if the proposal moves forward, the issue could have a major impact on the future of international tournaments.