UEFA to boycott all FIFA tournaments over World Cup stakes plan

UEFA member countries unanimously voted Thursday to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, in protest of FIFA's plan to sell stakes to external investors. "UEFA and its national associations will not participate in FIFA competitions," the European football body said after an urgent online meeting of the 55 members. The strategy meeting was called to counter FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s offer of $20 million to each of its 211 global members that has to be accepted by mid-September. Infantino’s secret proposal was revealed Tuesday to spin off its commercial operations in a $20 billion operation 20% owned by private investors. The core investor would be a New York investment firm created by Joshua Kushner. The next FIFA competition is in Europe, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5.