FIFA backs down from plans to sell stakes in company after UEFA threatens to boycott events

Prime Minister Andy Burnham had also waded in against the proposal

Two days after FIFA announced plans to sell the commercial rights to its tournaments, the European governing body stated on Thursday that no UEFA would boycott FIFA competitions 'as long as these proposals remain in place.'

FIFA have issued a fresh statement insisting that “nobody is selling football” after the UEFA has threatened to boycott any future tournaments

Europe presents a united front to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, whose proposal this week blindsided regional confederations and caused uproar just weeks after the World Cup staged in the US, Canada, and Mexico

3 min readJul 31, 2026 09:29 AM IST FIFA plans to create a semi-private subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to sell minority, non-controlling stakes in the business operations of the World Cup and other tournaments. (AP)CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbea

UEFA’s member associations said they would not participate in any FIFA tournament until a plan to sell stakes in a World Cup company was withdrawn.

In a statement that pulled no punches, Europe presented a united front to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino, whose proposal this week blindsided regional confederations and caused uproar.

European nations agreed Thursday to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions to protest Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in soccer’s biggest tournament to private equity investors. The North American soccer body rejected his plan later the same day.

Europe’s football governing body said the tournament should not be seen as an investment product and is 'not for sale'.

UEFA’s 55 associations threaten a full FIFA boycott over plans to sell the World Cup.

July 30 : UEFA and its 55 member nations voted on Thursday to boycott all FIFA tournaments in protest at the global governing body's plan to sell a stake in the World Cup to external investors.The following are quotes and reactions:ENGLISH FA STATEMENT“We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and full

European soccer associations voted unanimously to boycott FIFA competitions until plans to sell stakes in a $20 billion tournament subsidiary are withdrawn.

UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions over Gianni Infantino's $20 billion investor plan, saying the World Cup should never be privately owned.

By Alan Baldwin and Ian Ransom LONDON, July 30 (Reuters) - European soccer's governing body UEFA and its 55 member nations on Thursday voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments in what could be a knockout blow to the global soccer organisation's proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to external investors. In a statemen

UEFA to boycott World Cup and FIFA tournaments over stake sale plans  Reuters

“UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions,” UEFA said after the meeting. The next FIFA event on the calendar is the Women's Under-20 World Cup, which will be held in Poland from September 5.

FIFA has faced backlash from global soccer governing bodies over the proposal to allow private investment.

European football's governing body UEFA said Thursday it would boycott the World Cup should FIFA press ahead with its private investor plan

UEFA needs assurances FIFA won't go through with the plan to sell to private investors.

UEFA and its 55 members reject FIFA’s plan to sell World Cup ownership to private investors, threatening a boycott if the proposal proceeds. The World Cup

The governing body's plan welcoming investors to purchase World Cup-related commercial rights has drawn criticism from around the world.

UEFA's member associations have unanimously voted to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in protest at FIFA's plan to sell stakes to external investors in a subsidiary that will run the global governing body's tournaments.

UPDATED: All 55 UEFA member associations have voted to boycott FIFA soccer competitions – including the men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup – if FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors is approved by member associations, according to BBC Sport.

A potential World Cup boycott is being considered following revelations this week

How the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise has drawn criticism, including from UEFA and new United Kingdom Prime Minister.