UEFA will hold emergency talks as anger grows over FIFA’s proposed World Cup investment plan
UEFA will hold an emergency meeting with all 55 of its member associations after FIFA’s controversial World Cup investment plan triggered a fierce backlash across football.
The virtual meeting will take place on Thursday afternoon and will be led by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin. It comes after FIFA wrote to its 211 member associations, giving them until 19 September to decide whether to support the proposal.
At the centre of the row is a plan linked to the sale of a 20% stake in FIFA competitions to private finance. The proposal is expected to involve Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle connected to Joshua Kushner.
The offer includes an initial $20m payment, with the prospect of $40m in total for associations that back the deal. For some smaller football nations, that level of funding could be larger than their annual budgets.
But UEFA has reacted with fury. The governing body said FIFA’s deadline and the threat of withdrawing the one-off payment showed exactly what was wrong with the plan. It followed an earlier UEFA statement accusing FIFA of crossing a line.
The UEFA emergency meeting is expected to focus on how European football should respond. It is not yet clear what action will be agreed, but opposition inside Europe is already strong.
Many national associations were angered by the way the proposal emerged. Some, including the Football Association, reportedly only learned of the plan through media reports. FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt was among the FIFA vice-presidents said not to have been given advance warning.
The concern is not limited to Europe. The Asian, South American and North and Central American confederations have also expressed unease. That gives the dispute a global edge and leaves FIFA facing pressure from several major football blocs.
FIFA has defended the proposal, saying football’s growing commercial value has not reached enough of the game. It argues that extra funding could improve pitches, strengthen national teams, support women’s football and create more opportunities for young players.
Gianni Infantino has described the plan as an opportunity rather than an obligation. In a video released by FIFA, he said the proposal was part of a democratic consultation process and could accelerate the development of football around the world.
FIFA has also pointed to the recent qualification of Cape Verde, Curacao, Jordan and Uzbekistan for the World Cup as evidence of its development work. Critics, however, note that the expanded 48-team format helped open the door to more debutant nations.
Opponents argue that the World Cup should not be treated as an asset for private capital. The European Leagues organisation called the proposal reckless and divisive, while global players’ union FIFPRO urged FIFA to rethink the move.
La Liga president Javier Tebas was even more direct. He accused Infantino of using money and future football revenues to build political support before the next FIFA Congress.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, vice-president of the German Football Association and president of Borussia Dortmund, also condemned the plan, calling it an attack on football.
The biggest possible threat from Europe would be a withdrawal from FIFA competitions, but that remains an extreme option. With UEFA nations central to the World Cup’s sporting and commercial appeal, any united European resistance would still carry major weight.
For now, the battle lines are clear. FIFA says the plan could transform football development. UEFA sees a dangerous step towards selling off the soul of the World Cup.