Which football body threatened to boycott the World Cup over the proposal?

Question

Accepted Answer

Uefa Threatened to Boycott the World Cup Over Fifa's Privatisation Proposal

European football's governing body, Uefa, threatened to boycott the World Cup in response to a proposal by Fifa to privatise the tournament. Uefa described the plan as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal" orchestrated by Fifa president Gianni Infantino. This move indicated a significant loss of confidence in the current Fifa leadership, not just from Uefa but also from many other stakeholders within the global football community.
Uefa's Strong Opposition to the Proposal

The proposal, which aimed to raise up to US$4.2 billion by creating a new commercial subsidiary called the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage events like the World Cup, faced immediate and fierce opposition. Uefa, in particular, took a strong stance, labelling the deal as lacking transparency and questioning the integrity of its development. This public criticism highlighted deep divisions and distrust concerning Infantino's leadership and decision-making processes.
Fifa Acknowledges Errors and Apologises

In the wake of the backlash, Fifa acknowledged that "errors were made" in the handling of the FFE proposal, especially after it was leaked to the media. The organisation issued an apology for these mistakes, committing to ensuring such procedural issues do not recur. Despite acknowledging these errors, Fifa's senior directors reaffirmed their full support for President Gianni Infantino, who was elected by the 211 Fifa Member Associations.
Withdrawal of the Privatisation Plan

Ultimately, Fifa president Gianni Infantino withdrew the controversial FFE proposal. This decision came after significant criticism and the threat of a World Cup boycott from Uefa. The plan, which was intended to provide a one-off payment of US$20 million to each member association and increase future funding, instead generated a furious reaction. Following the withdrawal, a review of the process will be conducted and reported to the Fifa Council.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Which football body threatened to boycott the World Cup over the proposal?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends