Uefa debate World Cup boycott at emergency meeting after Gianni Infantino bombshell - latest | OneFootball

Uefa will discuss boycotting the World Cup in response to Gianni Infantino’s controversial plans to sell of stakes in Fifa’s major tournaments to external investors, including members of Donald Trump’s family.

The governing body of European football has led the furious response to Infantino’s proposals and called an emergency meeting to discuss how to they can leverage their position. That includes the threat of boycotting the tournament, as a World Cup without major nations such as champions Spain, France, Germany and England would be hugely damaging to Infantino.

Uefa were left dismayed that Infantino has given Fifa’s member associations just 53 days to decide their position and were outraged by Infantino promising a $40m (£30m) windfall to nations who back the proposals, or have the one-off payment withdrawn. “This says everything you need to know about this plan,” Uefa said in a statement on Wednesday. “Fifa cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends.”

Uefa, which previously said that Infantino’s plans “crossed a line”, will hold their emergency meeting with its 55 member associations virtually and knows it will require support from another confederation to block Infantino’s plans. Meanwhile, the head of the Czech FA backed Fifa’s proposals on Wednesday, which suggests Infantino carries some support within Europe as well.

Structure of Fifa vote means Gianni Infantino retains upper hand

Fifa’s broken political structure is one of clientelism, where money redistributed just serves as a vote-returning mechanism, and was supposed to be reformed when Gianni Infantino succeeded Sepp Blatter.

The threshold for approval has also been lowered from the usual 75 per cent to 50 per cent plus one. It is for all these reasons that stakeholders know that Fifa would win any vote. Enough current leaders will just see the money coming in now.

Even Uefa's emergency meeting will be held in the knowledge that many of their smaller members fully support Infantino.

That is despite the obvious problem that introducing private investment will just incorporate financial incentives that work against the smaller nations in the long term. Such investment partners would inevitably have an interest in core parts of the game, like the calendar, and all guided by the sole motivation of raising revenue.

Football’s major stakeholders are consequently determined to ensure that this never actually gets to a vote.

(Getty)

Inside rogue agent Gianni Infantino’s secret plan to sell off the World Cup

Not even Gianni Infantino’s inner circle or closest advisors at Fifa knew about his privatisation project - and were angered when the news emerged.

Many in football suspect that this plan was developed with financial interests connected to the wider Donald Trump family over the last year, explaining Josh Kushner’s current proximity.

Miguel Delaney30 July 2026 12:49

'Angry' Uefa members prepared to discuss boycott

Fifa’s plan has provoked fury in most of the European game, to the point that an alliance of all major stakeholders is gaining strength.

Bodies including the Football Association, European Leagues, European Football Clubs, the Union of European Clubs, the Football Supporters Association and Football Supporters Europe have already released strident statements, mostly condemning the lack of proper process, but with some going much further and demanding drastic change at the top of the game.

Figures within the national associations and Uefa’s structure are most infuriated by the unilateral nature in which Gianni Infantino has come up with the plan as well as the very prospect of privatisation, and how it has been presented to federations with a limited timeframe of 53 days before what amounts to a binary vote amid the “bribery” of those who agree being guaranteed higher returns.

A key question being asked is how any of this was decided without presentation to any other part of football governance, right up to how JP Morgan has already been decided upon as a likely partner.

The anger is such that national associations are prepared to discuss the threat of boycott, or at least to use the idea as leverage to kill Infantino’s plans.

(Reuters)

Miguel Delaney30 July 2026 12:29

English FA ‘deeply concerned’ by Fifa plan to sell off the World Cup

The English Football Association (FA) has said it was blindsided by Fifa’s proposed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and has expressed “deep concern” about the whole situation.

“We were completely unaware of this proposal and have no substantive details, including what the proposition actually is, and what conditions are attached,” a spokesperson said.

“Based on the limited information, we are deeply concerned about the lack of process and governance to get to this point, and the apparent substance and principles involved.

“When the proposal is shared in the full and transparent way now promised by Fifa, we will make our views clear, and comment further.”

(Getty)

Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 12:09

Czech FA breaks ranks to back Gianni Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan

Uefa may want its countries to be sining from the same hymn sheet as they attempt to block Gianni Infantino’s plans, but the president of the Czech Football Association has broken rank by supporting the Fifa president.

For Uefa, European football’s governing body, Trunda’s comments are an early blow to their hopes of launching a member-wide boycott of Fifa competitions. In order for a boycott to take place, all 55 Uefa members would unanimously have to agree.

"I can see the pragmatic benefits for Czech football from working in close co-operation with Gianni Infantino and his team," Trunda told Sky News.

"Of course we need more details, but my personal point of view is that I can see the positive impact of Fifa’s intentions.

"I was elected a little more than a year ago, and for me personally all the projects I have experienced in cooperation with Fifa have been very positive for the development of European football."

Uefa dismayed by Infantino's promise to offer countries 'one-off' payment for backing plans

Gianni Infantino has told the heads of Fifa’s 211 member associations that they could miss out on a $30m payment if they do not back his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, and has given them just 53 days to decide.

In a letter to the member associations, seen by The Independent, Infantino has promised that national federations would benefit from an increase of its ‘Fifa Forward’ funding from around $8m to $20m for the upcoming four-year cycle between 2027 and 2031 if the new FFE subsidiary is created.

Additionally, the letter states that a “one-off” payment of another $20m would be made available for member associations who vote for Infantino’s proposals on 19 September.

In the letter, member associations are then warned that their funding for the 2027-2031 cycle would only stand at $10m if the vote does not pass, meaning they would miss out on $30m.

A further statement from Uefa on the $40m windfalls said: “Today we have learned of Fifa’s deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn. This says everything you need to know about this plan.

“But having held discussions with many stakeholders across the game, Uefa knows there is significant and growing opposition to Fifa’s scheme. Fifa cannot continue to use our sport to enrich themselves and their friends. We can grow the game correctly. It’s time to prioritise associations, clubs, leagues, players and fans.”

How can Uefa stop Gianni Infantino's plans?

Gianni Infantino needs a majority vote from Fifa’s 211 member associations (50 per cent + one) and the backing from the Fifa Council. He has confirmed that a vote will take place on 19 September, which is just 53 days after the plans were leaked to the media via The Times on Tuesday.

Uefa’s members make up 55 of Fifa’s 211 national associations - so they cannot stop the vote outright and they would need support from at least one other confederation, such as North America, Asia, Africa or South America. But where Uefa do have leverage is that the World Cup would not be the same without countries Spain, France and England - three of the four semi-finalists from this summer’s tournament.

The threat of a boycott is a powerful card to play - but do they have the courage to play it?

(Getty)

Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 11:20

What is Gianni Infantino trying to do?

On Tuesday, Fifa revealed plans to create a new subsidiary to manage the commercial rights and delivery of the World Cup and other major tournaments, with Gianni Infantino confirming that the new company - ‘Fifa Forward Enterprises (FFE)’ - would be open to external capital investment.

Private investors will be sought to “make minority, non-controlling investments” in the company. The investor group for FFE is set to be led by Thrive Eternal, founded earlier this year by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Fifa is working with bankers at JPMorgan to raise billions of dollars by bringing in external investors to take as much as a 20 per cent stake.

In a statement, Fifa said it would “raise up to $4.2bn later this year” to fund the project, “based on an initial equity valuation of $20bn by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests ... All net benefits will be reinvested back into football worldwide.”

(PA Wire)

What has Uefa said about Gianni Infantino's World Cup proposals?

Uefa, the governing body of European football and a long-term critic of Fifa president Gianni Infantino, said in a statement: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.

“Uefa takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.

“None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa’s to sell.”