UEFA’s 55 member associations will hold an emergency meeting later this week to discuss FIFA’s controversial proposal to sell stakes in its major competitions to external investors.
The virtual meeting comes after FIFA unveiled plans to establish a new commercial subsidiary to manage its flagship tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup. The world governing body says outside investors would be allowed to purchase stakes in the new entity as part of efforts to generate more revenue for global football.
FIFA said the proposal would enable it to increase global development funding to $10 billion while offering each of its 211 member associations access to up to $20 million in one-off capital.
As reported by BBC Sport on Wednesday, the plans have sparked strong opposition from UEFA, which issued a rare public statement criticizing the proposal before FIFA officially released it. European football’s governing body said the plans had “crossed a line,” warning they could give private investors too much influence over the sport’s biggest competitions.
The Football Association has also expressed concerns, saying it was not consulted before FIFA announced the proposals.
The emergency meeting is expected to allow UEFA members to coordinate a response, with reports suggesting the possibility of a boycott could be discussed, although no decision has been made.
UEFA believes its member associations remain central to the success of FIFA competitions. European nations have dominated recent World Cups, with six of the eight quarter-finalists at this year’s tournament coming from Europe, including champions Spain.
Critics also fear the proposal could pave the way for more frequent World Cups and expanded tournaments as FIFA seeks to maximize commercial revenue, adding further pressure to an already congested international football calendar.
The latest dispute marks another chapter in the strained relationship between FIFA and UEFA, following previous disagreements over proposals to stage the World Cup every two years and other controversial decisions surrounding this summer’s tournament.
Punch