UEFA Rejects FIFA Private Ownership Proposal, Threatens FIFA Competition Boycott

UEFA and its 55 member associations have unanimously rejected FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership interests in the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors, calling the move a threat to football's integrity and future.

Statement on behalf of UEFA and its 55 National Associations

— UEFA (@UEFA) July 30, 2026

In a strongly worded joint statement released on Thursday, UEFA declared that the FIFA World Cup is "not for sale" and warned that introducing private ownership would permanently shift decision-making from the interests of football to the demands of shareholders.

The European governing body criticized FIFA for allegedly developing the proposal without meaningful consultation with national associations, describing the process as "a profound failure of leadership" and accusing the world football body of attempting to force national associations into accepting the plan.

UEFA argued that allowing external investors to own stakes in FIFA competitions would prioritize commercial returns over sporting values, affecting decisions on tournament formats, scheduling and the future direction of international football.

Taking a firm stand, UEFA announced that none of its national teams would participate in FIFA competitions as long as the proposal remains active, unless FIFA completely abandons the plan and provides binding assurances that its competitions and governance will never be opened to private ownership.

Concluding its statement, UEFA reaffirmed that the FIFA World Cup belongs to football and pledged to oppose any effort to commercialize ownership of the sport's most prestigious international tournament.