UEFA will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the possibility of boycotting the World Cup as leverage against Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to privatize the tournament.
The meeting will also consider next steps regarding the European Union, as the European Commission investigates whether Infantino’s project violates competition law. The initiative by FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked outrage among many representatives of European football, leading to a growing alliance of major stakeholders.
Organizations such as the Football Association, European Leagues, European Football Clubs, Union of European Clubs, Football Supporters Association, and Football Supporters Europe have issued strong statements, primarily condemning the lack of proper process, while some are calling for radical changes in football governance.
Reasons for outrage and details of the plan
Representatives from national associations and the UEFA structure are particularly outraged by the unilateral way in which Infantino developed the plan, as well as the prospect of privatization itself. They are also upset by how the plan was presented to the federations, allowing only a limited period of 53 days before a virtually binary vote, amid what critics describe as “a bribe” to those who agree, by guaranteeing them higher profits.
The key issue is that all these decisions were made without consulting any other part of football management, up to the point where JP Morgan began considering it as a potential partner.
Historical precedent and legal aspects
The outrage is so intense that national associations are prepared to discuss the threat of a boycott or at least use this idea as leverage to disrupt Infantino’s plans. Although the FIFA 14.1b statute obliges members to participate in their competitions, sources within the associations point to how this tactic was employed at the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Infantino’s leadership initially sought to include the Russian team in the World Cup in some form, but European associations insisted they would boycott if this occurred.
UEFA has also consulted with the European Commission to explore how Infantino’s plan can be challenged. European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef has already hinted at this in his pointed statement, and it is believed that the main avenue for potential resistance could be the protections afforded to sports federations under competition law.
While organizations such as FIFA and UEFA typically receive certain exemptions based on the premise that sport serves a cultural function, a shift to private interests would fundamentally alter this situation. The removal of such protections could significantly impact FIFA’s ability to operate in Europe, particularly regarding its commercial activities.
Source: Independent
