Uefa has strongly criticised reported Fifa plans to bring in private investment to its competitions, including the World Cup, warning that world football's governing body is overstepping its authority. Fifa says the move would expand football development funding to more than $10bn (£7.5bn) to help grow the game worldwide, but the proposals have sparked anger from Europe's football body, which insists no single organisation owns the sport or its flagship tournament.

The plans were first reported by the Financial Times and the Times, with the latter suggesting the arrangement could earn Fifa president Gianni Infantino tens of millions of pounds personally. Responding, Uefa said the proposals "cross a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," adding that "none of us are the owners of football" and that the World Cup "is not Fifa's to sell." The plans would still require approval from Fifa's member associations.