UEFA and its 55 member associations have voted to boycott all FIFA competitions if FIFA member associations approve plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.
The decision was made during an emergency UEFA meeting after FIFA announced plans to create a new commercial company, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would manage competitions including the FIFA World Cup; private investors would be allowed to buy minority shares in the new company.
UEFA strongly opposed the proposal, saying the FIFA World Cup is "not for sale" and should never be treated as an investment product.
The organisation accused FIFA of failing to consult member associations and described the proposal as a serious failure of leadership.
If approved by FIFA's 211 member associations, UEFA said it would boycott all FIFA tournaments, including the men's and women's World Cups and the Club World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has urged member associations to support the proposal, offering up to US$40 million in funding for those who vote in favour and associations have until September 19th to accept the plan.
The proposal has also drawn concern from other football confederations, including CONCACAF, the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of African Football, all of which questioned the lack of consultation.
England's Football Association and the Scottish FA backed UEFA's position, while UK government officials also voiced support, saying football belongs to the fans, not private investors.
The coming weeks are expected to be crucial as FIFA seeks enough support to pass the proposal, while UEFA remains firm in its opposition.
Sourve: BBC Sport
