UEFA has voted to boycott all FIFA competitions including the World Cup after FIFA president Gianni Infantino announced plans to sell stake in FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE).
Infantino's plans to sell off a stake in FFE would raise significant funding for the organization, in exchange for influence over future World Cup deals, including broadcasting and other commercial deals.
After the initial plans were announced earlier this week, UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) convened for an emergency meeting on whether to boycott all FIFA competitions due to Infantino's proposal.
In the meeting today, UEFA members expressed their frustrations over the proposal which would open the World Cup to the private sector.
Although Infantino expects to raise $20 billion in outside investments which would trigger over $80 million in payouts to each of FIFA's 211 member associations, UEFA officially voted against the proposition and will boycott all future FIFA competitions until the plan is scrapped.
"We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors," UEFA announced.
"The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football's greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale."
European soccer's governing body will not be participating in any FIFA sanctioned events until the plan is terminated, meaning that European nations will not appear in the 2027 Women's World Cup unless Infantino cancels the plan.
UEFA's first boycott will likely be in September when Poland is expected to host the Women's U20 World Cup.
Infantino initially set a September 19 deadline for associations to accept the plans to open FIFA to the private sector, but UEFA and its 55 member nations have already rejected.
It is unknown how FIFA and Infantino will respond to UEFA's overwhelming disapproval.
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