Is Infantino finished? Uefa threatens World Cup boycott over Fifa sale plans
European and North-Central American football bodies reject Gianni Infantino's stake-sale plan, throwing his leadership into turmoil.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Uefa threatens complete boycott of Fifa tournaments over proposed 20% stake sale
- Concacaf's 41 members reject the proposals amid anger over lack of consultation
- National associations face a September 19 deadline to accept Fifa's controversial funding deal
- Talks emerge regarding potential challenges to Infantino's upcoming re-election
The bombshell statement dropped at 16:00 BST on Thursday, 30 July, as European football governing body Uefa delivered an uncompromising message regarding the future of the sport. Stating that Uefa and its national associations will not participate in Fifa competitions, the organization drew a definitive line in the sand against Fifa president Gianni Infantino.
The extreme reaction was triggered by Infantino's proposal to sell a 20% stake in a subsidiary company created to run global competitions, including the World Cup. The plan involves private backing, notably including Joshua Kushner, the brother of the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. With a deadline of 19 September for countries to accept the deal and bank $20m (£15m) on 1 January, the threat introduces massive uncertainty ahead of major tournaments like the Women's World Cup play-offs in October.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Shortly after Uefa's announcement, Concacaf—which governs football in North and Central America—released a statement confirming its 41 members also reject the plans. Across multiple reactions, the primary grievance was not merely the financial proposal itself, but deep fury over the lack of proper consultation and dialogue from Infantino.
This standoff exposes a profound governance crisis within global football, pitting centralized commercial ambitions against traditional regional confederations. Should major European and American associations follow through on their threats ahead of the September deadline, it would trigger an unprecedented institutional fracture in the sport's history.
Infantino first assumed the Fifa presidency in 2016 by defeating Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa 115 votes to 88, and was previously expected to run unopposed for a fourth term in March. However, sources indicate that many members are now losing faith in his leadership, opening the door for potential challengers such as Paris St-Germain president and European Football Clubs chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
"Fifa is not a normal organisation. If he has the support of enough of the national associations, he will continue."
David Bernstein, Former FA chairman
Former Uefa chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson told the BBC that Infantino has overplayed his hand and suggested his removal could mark a fresh start for football. While Uefa represents only 55 of Fifa's 211 national associations, it remains by far the most powerful confederation in pure sporting terms.
Source: BBC Sport
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment