England and UEFA nations set to unanimously BOYCOTT World Cup

England and other UEFA nations have unanimously decided to boycott FIFA compeтιтions amid Gianni Infantino’s plans to sell shares in the World Cup.

UEFA held crisis talks virtually on Thursday after proposals to generate £3.1billion in private investment for FIFA tournaments, most notably the World Cup, faced widespread opposition. 

Member ᴀssociations were described to Daily Mail Sport as ‘outraged’ with more than 40 federations providing testimony, as UEFA coordinated their response to FIFA’s proposals. 

Daily Mail Sport also understands there was ‘total unanimity’ on the call with ᴀssociations fuming that FIFA had left them in the dark – unilaterally developing plans to transform football governance.

One international football insider told Daily Mail Sport: ‘This is at the nuclear ʙuттon end of the spectrum, which is impressive’. 

In a statement, cosigned by all 55 UEFA members, European football’s governing body said: ‘UEFA and its national ᴀssociations will not participate in FIFA compeтιтions.

‘UEFA and its 55 member ᴀssociations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA compeтιтions to private investors.

‘The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.

‘It is both irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game. This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of FIFA’s duty as the custodian of world football.

‘National ᴀssociations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest compeтιтions or bear the consequences. This is not a “democratic decision”, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an insтιтution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.

‘But our opposition goes far beyond process.

‘The moment external investors acquire ownership interests in FIFA compeтιтions, football changes forever. Commercial return becomes a permanent obligation. Investor expectations become a daily pressure. From that moment onwards, every decision on the international calendar, every decision on compeтιтion formats and every decision shaping the future of football is no longer driven by what best serves the game, but by what best serves shareholders.

‘This model has no place in world football. Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return. Nor can the interests of national ᴀssociations, leagues, clubs, players and supporters become subordinate to investor returns. Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain.

‘Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation.

‘As a result of today’s discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA compeтιтion for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding ᴀssurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or compeтιтions to private ownership.

‘Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national ᴀssociations will oppose these plans with absolute determination. 

‘There are moments when insтιтutions are judged not by what they are prepared to accept, but by what they refuse to compromise. This is one of those moments.

‘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.’

An FA spokeswoman added: ‘We stand shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues and fully support the collective view. We oppose FIFA’s plans – the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and always will.’ 

UEFA’s decision to boycott tournaments could force FIFA to abandon its plans, just as they did when the continental confederation used the same tactic to compel FIFA to scrap a 2021 proposal to turn the World Cup into a biennial tournament. 

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has condemned FIFA’s plans to allow private investors a share of the World Cup

Gianni Infantino has been widely criticised for his decision to put the World Cup ‘up for sale’

Football ᴀssociation chief executive Mark Bullingham came under pressure to take action

Infantino tried to force FIFA’s ᴀssociations to decide on the proposal by September 19, while explaining the financial benefits in a letter to all 211 FIFA members.

UEFA, however, accused FIFA of trying to bribe ᴀssociations into agreeing with the proposals, which could see them receive up to an additional £15million in revenue. 

In another blow to the plan, the president of the Asian Federation Sheikh Salman wrote of his ‘great concern and disappointment’ in FIFA’s decision to prepare the plans without consultation. 

CONCACAF, which represents 41 countries in North and Central America and the Caribbean, is another federation to express early scepticism in the wake of the bombshell plans and are set to meet at 5:30pm.