UEFA’s member associations are putting heavy pressure on FIFA following the much-discussed World Cup plans.
Norway and other UEFA member nations are preparing to boycott the FIFA World Cup following FIFA’s plans to sell equity stakes to private investors. All 55 member associations of European football’s governing body voted in favour of the proposal, BBC reports.
The decision was taken during a virtual emergency meeting convened by UEFA to discuss the proposals presented on Tuesday by FIFA, world football’s governing body.
In a statement issued after the meeting, UEFA said that its 55 member associations “stand united”.
“We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership stakes in the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA competitions 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 handed over to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) has also expressed criticism of the plans. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) reacted strongly to what it described as a poorly managed process, according to NTB’s Lars Eide and Andreas Jakobsen.
Norwegian Football Association President Lise Klaveness said on Wednesday that the Norwegian Football Association has long viewed developments within FIFA with concern.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told NTB on 18 July that the priority going forward is to “unlock the commercial potential and opportunities available to FIFA.”
– FIFA makes its decisions democratically, and a proposal that FIFA has received and is currently considering will soon be presented to the 211 member associations and the FIFA Council, which will be the sole final decision-makers in this matter.
Infantino set 19 September as the deadline for football associations to accept his plans if they wished to gain access to an initial payment of US$20 million.
For FIFA to proceed with the plans, it requires a majority of votes from its 211 member associations.