UEFA issued a blistering official statement welcoming FIFA’s decision to abandon plans to sell a private equity stake in its major competitions. This included the FIFA World Cup.
The plan was met with unanimous opposition from UEFA’s member associations, as well as federations, fans, leagues, clubs, players, and heads of state worldwide. In its official press release, UEFA made it clear that world football’s governance and its premier tournaments are not commercial commodities. Therefore, these should not be carved up by private investors.
Core Principles of UEFA’s Statement
- “Football Is Not For Sale”: UEFA expressed gratitude to stakeholders across all levels of the game who united against the proposed scheme. This reaffirmed that the sport must remain in the public domain rather than serving private financial interests.
- No Confidence in FIFA Leadership: The statement launched an explicit attack on FIFA President Gianni Infantino, asserting that current leadership has lost the confidence of UEFA and many members of the international football community. Moreover, UEFA highlighted broken promises regarding transparency and financial stewardship made when Infantino assumed office in 2016.
- Demand for Accountability: Decrying secret, fast-tracked deals hatched behind closed doors, UEFA called for a thorough, fundamental review to identify those responsible. They also want to ensure similar attempts cannot happen again.
- Unlocking FIFA Reserves for Grassroots: Pointing out that FIFA currently holds over $5 billion in financial reserves, UEFA argued that grassroots football in all 211 member countries can be properly funded using existing reserves through the FIFA Forward program. This can be achieved without needing to “sell off the family silver”.
UEFA welcomes FIFA’s withdrawal of plans to sell a stake in the World Cup
— UEFA (@UEFA) August 1, 2026