UEFA Declares Boycott of World Cup Over Fifa's Investor Scheme
WHO:
AP - The core investor for FIFA's proposed subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, is a New York investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA, the governing body of European football, and its 55 member associations.
Sky Sports - Gianni Infantino, FIFA President; Debbie Hewitt, FA chair and FIFA vice president; Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive; Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy; Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The Independent - Joshua Kushner, brother of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
WHAT:
Sky Sports - UEFA's boycott will cover all FIFA competitions, including the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco scheduled for October 2026 and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar set for November/December 2026.
Sky Sports - The first test of UEFA's boycott for senior teams will occur in October during the Women's World Cup qualifier play-offs, where England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play.
The Independent - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23, 2026.
Sky Sports - UEFA's boycott will cover all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
AP - Infantino projected that FIFA funding through 2038 would be $86 million each for member associations if the proposal is approved, compared to about $36 million if it is not.
AP - UEFA's statement emphasized, "The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA's decision was made during an emergency online meeting of its 55 member nations.
AP - UEFA's statement included, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies."
AP - UEFA emphasized that "no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive."
AP - UEFA's statement concluded, "Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale."
AP - The core investor for FIFA's proposed subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, is a New York investment firm created by Joshua Kushner, the brother of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
Sky Sports - UEFA stated, "We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors."
AP - UEFA emphasized, "The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, football changes forever."
AP - UEFA's boycott will cover all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
AP - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
AP - UEFA stated, "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."
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
Sky Sports - UEFA stated, "We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors."
AP - UEFA emphasized, "No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive."
France 24 - UEFA's statement included, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies."
CNN - UEFA's boycott will cover all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
The Independent - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
AP - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
AP - UEFA stated, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies."
AP - UEFA emphasized, "No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale."
AP - Infantino's proposal involves creating a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) valued at $20 billion, with plans to sell up to 20% to private investors.
AP - Infantino projected that FIFA funding through 2038 would be $86 million each for member associations if the proposal is approved, compared to about $36 million if it is not.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
AP - FIFA's proposal aims to create a subsidiary valued at $20 billion, with plans to sell up to 20% to private investors, potentially raising $4.2 billion.
AP - Infantino projected that FIFA funding through 2038 would be $86 million each for member associations if the proposal is approved, compared to about $36 million if it is not.
AP - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
AP - UEFA stated, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies."
AP - UEFA emphasized that "no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive."
AP - Infantino's proposal involves creating a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) valued at $20 billion, with plans to sell up to 20% to private investors.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
AP - UEFA announced it will boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell stakes to private investors.
AP - UEFA stated, "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."
AP - UEFA emphasized, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies."
AP - The next scheduled FIFA tournament is the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland starting on September 5.
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA voted unanimously to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions.
Sky Sports - UEFA stated, "No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive."
France 24 - UEFA's statement emphasized, "The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies."
AP - FIFA plans to create a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) valued at $20 billion, selling up to 20% to private investors.
CNN - Infantino's proposal aims to raise up to $4.2 billion from external investors.
WHERE:
KSHB 41 Kansas City - The decision was made during an emergency meeting held virtually.
Sky Sports - The Women’s Under-20 World Cup is scheduled to be hosted by Poland.
The Independent - The 2030 World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.
WHEN:
AP - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - The Women’s Under-20 World Cup is set to start on September 5.
The Independent - FIFA has set a deadline of September 19 for member associations to approve the investment plan.
AP - The decision regarding the 2035 Women’s World Cup host will be made on November 23.
WHY:
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA emphasized that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
AP - UEFA criticized FIFA's proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football."
AP - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA's boycott is in response to FIFA's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
Sky Sports - UEFA criticized the proposal as "irresponsible and indefensible" and an "abdication of FIFA's duty as the custodian of world football."
CNN - UEFA stated that the moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA competitions, "football changes forever."
HOW:
The Guardian - Infantino's proposal aims to create a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would manage FIFA's commercial rights and operations, with private investors acquiring minority stakes.
The Guardian - Infantino has set a deadline of September 19, 2026, for FIFA's 211 member associations to approve the investment plan, with a potential payout of $40 million for those who support it.
AP - Infantino wrote to the 211 members, stating that if they approve the proposal, their promised funding for the next four years will double to $20 million.
AP - Infantino wrote to the 211 members, stating that if they approve the proposal, their promised funding for the next four years will double to $20 million.
AP - Infantino wrote to the 211 members, stating that if they approve the proposal, their promised funding for the next four years will double to $20 million.
AP - Infantino wrote to the 211 members, stating that if they approve the proposal, their promised funding for the next four years will double to $20 million.
AP - Infantino wrote to the 211 members, stating that if they approve the proposal, their promised funding for the next four years will double to $20 million.
AP - UEFA's decision was made during an emergency online meeting of its 55 member nations.
AP - UEFA's decision was made during an emergency online meeting of its 55 member nations.
KSHB 41 Kansas City - UEFA's decision was made during an emergency online meeting of its 55 member nations.
AP - Infantino's proposal involves creating a subsidiary to manage FIFA's commercial rights and operations, with private investors acquiring minority stakes.
UEFA has announced a boycott that will extend to all FIFA competitions, including the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, both scheduled for late 2026. The first test of this boycott will take place during the Women's World Cup qualifier play-offs in October, featuring teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, a decision on the host for the 2035 Women’s World Cup is set to be made on November 23, 2026, while FIFA President Infantino is pushing for his investment plan to be approved by member associations by September 19, 2026, offering a potential payout of $40 million for those who back it.