Controversy Over FIFA's Plans

Selling Out? Now There’s Even the Threat of a Massive Boycott

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s (left) World Cup plans are causing outrage.(Bild: AFP/DAN MULLAN)

Outrage in the soccer world: FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plans to sell the World Cup in the future are causing widespread disbelief. Now there’s even the threat of a massive boycott.

There is fierce criticism of the soccer world governing body’s latest plans to sell a portion of the commercial rights to its tournaments to investors. Future World Cup tournaments would then be organized under the umbrella of a new company, in which FIFA would be the majority owner.

Is the World Cup being sold?(Bild: AFP/FLORENCIA TAN JUN)

Immediately after the plans became public, the European Football Union expressed its opposition to them. “The soul and leadership of soccer are not commodities—especially not when there is a complete lack of transparency regarding who stands to profit financially. None of us owns soccer. It is not for sale to FIFA,” a UEFA statement said.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin(Bild: AFP/FABRICE COFFRINI)

And now, it seems, a boycott is even being considered. A World Cup without European teams? Hard to imagine! Six of the eight quarterfinalists at the most recent tournament in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico were from Europe. A boycott would also affect the clubs (Club World Cup).

“Soccer doesn’t belong to investors”
The new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, also expressed his outrage. “Soccer doesn’t belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands, who stand on the sidelines, week after week, rain or shine,” said the British head of government in a video posted on Instagram.

“The World Cup isn’t a product; it’s the greatest competition in the world. It has never belonged to anyone so that it could be sold. Soccer has always belonged to the fans, and it always will.”

Blatter Also Outraged
In a post on X, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter once again criticized his successor, Gianni Infantino, and his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. “The close relationship between the FIFA president and the U.S. president has taken on a financial dimension that is causing considerable damage to soccer. No one has the right to sell our sport,” wrote the 90-year-old Swiss national.

The British newspaper “The Times” had previously reported that individuals associated with Trump’s U.S. administration were also involved in the plans.

UEFA Vice President: “We’re Going Too Far”
Italian UEFA Vice President Gabriele Gravina emphasized in an interview with the Ansa news agency: “We’re going too far.” The delicate balance between soccer as a spectacle and soccer as a great popular passion—which has been painstakingly built up over the years—is in danger of being swept away by a profit-driven vision. “All confederations must act accordingly,” demanded the former head of the Italian Football Federation.

The English Football Association (FA) told the British broadcaster BBC that it had known nothing about FIFA’s plans prior to their publication.

Here’s what the FIFA plan looks like
According to FIFA, private investors will be able to acquire around 20 percent of the shares in the newly established subsidiary FFE, whose value is initially set at a total of 20 billion dollars. The FFE will consolidate the commercial rights to FIFA competitions such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup.

FIFA would remain the majority shareholder of the company and, according to its own statements, would continue to have control over the match schedule and all matters related to the rules. All 211 FIFA member associations are also set to receive smaller shares in the company, which they could either retain or sell.