The Football Association has said it is "deeply concerned" about Fifa's plan to sell stakes in its major competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. Uefa's 55 member nations are set to hold an emergency virtual meeting later this week amid growing anger across the sport, with fears that outside investors could gain too much influence and drive massive expansion of the men's and women's World Cup and Club World Cup.

Fifa's proposal, which emerged in reports from the Financial Times and The Times before being formally released on Tuesday, would create a commercial subsidiary to run its flagship events. It appears at least two of Fifa's eight vice-presidents were not consulted beforehand, and both Uefa and Concacaf have issued strongly worded statements criticising the lack of due process; Uefa said the plans had "crossed a line". Concerns centre partly on the calendar impact, given plans for a 64-team World Cup in 2030 across six host countries and three confederations, at a time when the football schedule is already stretched by expanded European club competitions.