Fifa’s World Cup sale plot threatens to tear global football apart – all you need to know with 2030 tournament at risk

CIVIL WAR has erupted in football after it emerged Gianni Infantino is planning to flog stakes in the World Cup. The plan involves a company being created by Fifa and private investors could buy a slice of it. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has sparked outrage with his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup Credit: Alamy The outlandish scheme has sparked outrage and Uefa is said to be holding an emergency meeting. It has been floated that European nations could boycott the World Cup – and UEFA issued a scathing statement in response to Infantino’s plans. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The governing body said the proposal “crosses a line” and called on football’s stakeholders to act. Their statement concluded: “The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP “None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.” The FA have said they were “completely unaware” of the plans and are “deeply concerned about the lack of process” involved. Concacaf echoed those words and indicated that they were also blindsided by Infantino’s radical proposals. A Concacaf statement read: “We share the disappointment of many within our region and the game that this level of detail has been designed and shared publicly before any discussion with the relevant governance bodies and stakeholders has taken place.” Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Prime Minister Andy Burnham has also weighed into the debate and said: “The World Cup is not a product. “It is the greatest competition in world sport. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out. Football belongs to the fans.” Will the vote pass? There has been plenty of public outcry after Infantino’s plans were revealed – but he has received support, too. The president of the Czech Republic’s FA has spoken of the “positive impact” from them and the money involved will surely be enticing to Fifa’s member associations. All 211 member associations would have access to a one-off lump sum of $20million (£15m) as part of the new scheme. That cash could be used by FAs for projects such as stadiums and national training centres. Fifa have also explained to member associations’ that their funding would increase. The upcoming cycle from 2027-30 was budgeted at $8m (£6m) per member association, but Fifa say that would rise to $20m (£15m). Countries could unite to try and block the vote, with Uefa strongly coming out to condemn the situation. The money involved, however, could prove tempting for countries searching for a cash injection to spend on their infrastructure. Fifa needs the majority of its 211 member associations to support the proposals for them to go ahead. Infantino has opened the door for private investors to buy a stake in the World Cup Credit: Reuters Who gets a vote? In announcing the news on Tuesday, it was made clear by Infantino that every Fifa member association would have a say on the matter. Fifa has 211 member associations and their statement on Tuesday explained a majority of them need to support these proposals for them to get the green light. The scheme would also require approval from the Fifa Council, which consists of 37 members. There is one president – elected by the Fifa congress – eight vice presidents and 28 other members elected by the associations, each for a term of four years. Infantino said: “Every Fifa member association should have an opportunity to seek a fair share of the available funding to shape its own future, deciding for itself rather than relying on others. This is about the democratisation of football worldwide. “We intend to invest heavily even in the smallest or most remote parts of the footballing world, places that are too often passed over. “Every Fifa member association, whatever its size, resources, or geographic location will have a voice and the opportunity to determine its own course. Football has become a truly global game and so the benefits must be felt globally.” Fifa needs support from the majority of its 211 member associations for the new plans to pass Credit: AFP Will the 2030 World Cup go ahead? This is a huge question and the threat of European nations boycotting the tournament would surely throw it into doubt. Fifa could soldier on and stage the World Cup without Uefa countries – but what would that look like?At this summer’s World Cup, six of the eight teams in the quarter-finals were from Europe. The eventual winners were Spain, while eight years ago it was France holding the trophy aloft. A big reason for the World Cup being so commercially lucrative is the presence of Europe’s biggest countries. And if they were to boycott the tournament that would hit Fifa where it hurts most – in the pocket. Boycotting the tournament would be a nuclear option for Uefa countries, but could be needed if they cannot stop the vote being passed. Uefa have not been afraid to stand up to Fifa in the past and in 2021 pushed back on plans to host the World Cup every two years. A threat of boycotting was used successfully by the governing body then and led to Fifa backing down. There have been reports that European nations could boycott the next World Cup Credit: Getty Will future World Cups look any different under new owners? This was already a talking point, even before news of investors possibly having a piece of the pie. Infantino has said how the first 48-team World Cup was a success and it could be expanded to 64 sides. Fifa have stressed that any investors coming on board would be making “minority” and “non-controlling” investments. The governing body have explained how they would retain sole control of the new company – FIFA Forward Enterprise – via majority board representation and exclusive authority over football governance, competitions, the international match calendar and all regulatory and sporting decisions. A Fifa statement read: “Outside investors will have only a minority stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise and will not play any operational role. “Equally, they are investing in a subsidiary of Fifa, and not in Fifa itself. For Fifa, nothing changes.” So, as Infantino has hinted, future World Cups could be different – but Fifa are adamant they will have the final say. Comment now