UEFA to hold emergency meeting over FIFA World Cup stake sale plan

sportsJul 30, 202638425

UEFA has called an emergency meeting after FIFA president Gianni Infantino unveiled plans to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors led by Thrive Capital. FIFA says the deal would deliver $40m (£30m) to each member association once finalised and is offering an initial $20m (£15m) available to federations that accept the plan by a 19 September deadline. The investor group is linked to Josh Kushner via Thrive Capital, with Greg Maffei named by FIFA as a key commercial adviser. Infantino’s proposal has provoked incredulity and anger from fans, politicians and regional governing bodies and drawn a formal condemnation from UEFA accusing FIFA of using football to enrich themselves and their friends. Infantino retains a strong voting base among many African, Asian and American members and FIFA votes require only a simple majority of its 211 members, making the plan more likely to pass than not. If approved, the move would consolidate Infantino’s power long term and transfer commercial control and profits from the World Cup to private investors; European bodies are preparing coordinated responses including talk of boycotts and political intervention such as summonses to the European Parliament.

Miguel Delaney

@migueldelaney.bsky.social

Uefa meeting is 2pm UK time tomorrow - boycotts will be discussed It’s already been raised how the same threat was used to kill Fifa’s plan to have a Russian team in the World Cup after Ukraine Also idea of EU/EC removing Fifa’s antitrust law exemptions www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...

8218h ago

Pete Hotchkiss2

Needs sanctions for European associations voting against this Blacklist all players from countries that want to take Infantinos bribes. Ban all their players from all football in any of the top 15 tiers in each member country.

Gigi Neil1

I'm SO sick of Infantino. I'm sure this idea came from Trump's camp. Both are completely corrupted, no breaking news!...

Quoting this

Bassman2

I can't help feeling that if we do see a splitting from FIFA, we'll end up with something like superleague where UEFA and CONMEBOL (and maybe CAF but their relationship with FIFA is complicated) can run their own intercontinental football competition.

Dermot Looney2

Interesting that even UEFA itself considers boycotting a valid tactic. All the more reason to continue all our pressure to kick Israel out of international football while they continue their genocide against Palestinians. #stopthegames

Andy Brown

@andybrown1951.bsky.social

This man has repeatedly shamed football by debasing the sport at the feet of Donald Trump. Now he wants to monetise his friendship with the corrupt rich. UEFA needs to set up an alternative world football association that belongs to the fans www.theguardian.com/football/202...

543h ago

Quoting this

JLichdi3

Zieht die UEFA die Reissleine? Notwendig wär’s.

Pam Nash

@pamnashes.bsky.social

Remember when we believed we’d never have a worse FIFA President than Blatter? ‘Infantino's predecessor Blatter said: "The close relationship between the FIFA president & the US president has reached a financial dimension that’s deeply damaging football. No-one has the right to sell our game." ‘

3719h ago

Nathaniel Richards2

Worst FIFA President so far.

broderham.bsky.social1

Hands off our game, Caillou

Quoting this

The Liverpool Offside11

Sepp Blatter was just a smol bean who loved football and then grew up and discovered he quite enjoyed people giving him bribes. Gianni Infantino was just a smol bean who loved the idea of people giving him bribes and then grew up and discovered football was the perfect vehicle for that.

Kuntie Plopkins

@kuntieplopkins.bsky.social

You do realise that if Infantino gets his way, the FIFA World Cup will be renamed the Trump FIFA World Cup

303h ago

biloxiblues.bsky.social2

I think the 'Golden trump Family Peace Prize Billionaire Dictator King of the World Cup' is better. And for an extra million each participant gets a golden ring, golden watch, golden necklace, a ride on the big plane and lunch with a special guest.

Saraswati1

Sadly, true. But that world cup won’t have any sense anymore (I mean, let’s face it : it hardly had any this time already…)

wonkavite.bsky.social1

Trump Fluffer World Cup seems more appropraite

Breezer-Innit #COYS #Proprioception

@nemeses666.bsky.social

Isn't bribing illegal? 'Fifa president Gianni Infantino has written to all 211 member associations saying they will receive $40m (£30m) if they back his controversial plan to sell off stakes in its major competitions' www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

1720h ago

OperaBunny4

FIFA is part of the Trump Crime Syndicate now. If laws or regulations get in the way, you either buy the judges or abolish/leave the relevant institution.

John Finagin3

It's as if the beautiful game has seen itself as so attractive it can make a fortune out of prostitution.

thecatsuncle.bsky.social1

Jonny Infant Ned’s to be told what is decent and honourable and what isn’t!

rfb71.bsky.social1

There's a reason FIFA is based in Switzerland.🤫

Kevin Hjortshøj O’Rourke

@kevinhorourke.eurosky.social

This is very good on why the FIFA story really matters www.thetimes.com/article/390d...

1315h ago

RTÉ News

@news.rte.ie

UEFA has accused FIFA of using football "to enrich themselves and their friends" over proposals to sell off stakes in its major competitions

1619h ago

FairSquare

@fairsq.bsky.social

Senior European lawmakers have announced they will call FIFA to appear at the European Parliament "at the soonest possible date" In their statement @barryandrewsmep.bsky.social and Nela Riehl say "the World Cup is not anyone's to sell". Another very significant political intervention.

123h ago

Shoshana 🏳️‍⚧️

@shoshana.bsky.social

"Thrive Capital – run by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner – will lead the proposed investor group." And why would FIFA, a nonprofit, be looking to sell off the World Cup? Feels like Swiss authorities should be investigating this ⚽️

1422h ago

Ianrobo

@ianrobo.bsky.social

So now just a pure bribe www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba... And note fifa not backing down

1322h ago

kaybell27.bsky.social

@kaybell27.bsky.social

"FIFA should be allowed to sell off the World Cup" - NO it shouldn't!!! Right wing media is a disgrace, more ghastly rubbish in The Spectator. They argue fans have no right to ownership of football, it now belongs to corporations. That attitude is why FIFA can't be allowed to sell the World Cup off.

54h ago

Trevor is ainm dom

@trevorlfc01.bsky.social

Again my response to Infantino would be to fuck off and take your mates in FIFA with you

1119h ago

Flingjore

@flingjore.com

FIFA plans to launch a $20 billion commercial entity to manage the World Cup, backed by investors like Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal. European governing body UEFA strongly condemns the privatization effort, arguing the sport's governance is not for sale to private capital.

822h ago

TVP World

@tvpworld.bsky.social

FIFA's plan to sell a stake in a new $20 billion commercial venture has sparked fierce criticism. UEFA, politicians, and supporters' organizations say football's governing body is putting the World Cup up for sale, while FIFA insists the deal would generate more funding for the global game.

823h ago

Lord Jeffrey of Nottingham #FBPE 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🇬🇱

@onemoregoodman.bsky.social

Infantino is now offering bribes to get his corrupt scheme off the ground. He claims his plan will help grassroots football but most of the money will go into his pocket and into those of similarly corrupt national associations all over the world.

520h ago

3 sources

bbc.co.ukGianni Infantino: Why Fifa president is pushing World Cup sell off plan theguardian.comUefa has to show backbone: concrete action can make Fifa’s World Cup plans untenable | Nick Ames thetimes.comGianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup

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UEFA to hold emergency meeting over FIFA World Cup stake sale plan

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