The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has declared a formal boycott of all future men's and women's World Cups. The decision, announced on Thursday, serves as a direct response to a proposal by FIFA President Gianni Infantino that would permit private investment in the governing body's flagship competitions.
Following an emergency meeting of its 55 member associations, UEFA issued a statement confirming that it had "unanimously and unequivocally" rejected the plan. The proposal in question involves selling stakes of up to 20% in a new World Cup spin-off to external investors. The list of potential stakeholders includes Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. UEFA's statement asserted that the World Cup "cannot be treated as an investment product."
Sources familiar with the discussions told reporters that representatives from more than 40 football associations spoke during the meeting to label the proposal unacceptable, ultimately agreeing on the boycott. The official statement warned that national associations are facing an ultimatum: to accept what it termed the "irreversible capture" of football's premier competitions or face the consequences. UEFA has demanded that FIFA abandon the plan entirely and provide binding guarantees that it will not open its governance or tournaments to private ownership in the future. Until such assurances are provided, no European national team will participate in any FIFA competition.
The impact of this boycott would be significant, as European nations are central to the commercial and competitive appeal of the tournament. In the most recent men's World Cup, three of the four semi-finalists—France, England, and the tournament winner, Spain—were from Europe. The next men's World Cup is scheduled for 2030 in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, while the women's tournament is set for Brazil in 2027.
UEFA expressed deep concerns that commercial pressure from outside investors would negatively influence sporting decisions, fundamentally altering the sport. "Football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those whose first duty is to maximise financial return," the statement noted. EU Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef praised the move on social media, stating that he was proud to see European associations defending the integrity of the game.
While the proposal could technically still proceed if backed by a majority of FIFA’s 211 members and the 37-member FIFA Council, a coordinated European withdrawal would severely damage the tournament's value for broadcasters, sponsors, and players. UEFA currently represents more than a quarter of FIFA's membership and holds significant political and financial influence, with European teams having won 13 of 23 men's World Cups and four of nine women's tournaments to date. Meanwhile, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) is also holding an emergency meeting to discuss the situation.
