Uefa to hold emergency meeting over Fifa World Cup plans
Uefa will hold an emergency virtual meeting of all 55 member associations on Thursday afternoon to discuss its response to Fifa's controversial World Cup stakeholder plans, led by president Gianni Infantino. Tensions have escalated after it emerged that Fifa gave all 211 member associations a deadline to accept the deal or lose a one-off payout, prompting Uefa to accuse Fifa of a plan that "says everything you need to know" about the proposals. The row centres on a scheme to sell a 20% stake in Fifa competitions to private investors, which many associations, including England's FA, say they learned about only through the media.
Fifa's letter, seen by the BBC, gives associations until 19 September to sign up in return for the first $20m (£15.05m) of an initial $40m (£30m) payout. The plan is fronted by Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle owned by Joshua Kushner, brother-in-law of Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka, and has drawn criticism from Asian, South American and North and Central American confederations too, though not all members are opposed—the Czech FA said it saw "pragmatic benefits". Infantino has defended the plans as an "offer, not an obligation" that could fund pitches, grassroots development and women's football, citing examples such as Formula 1 and top European leagues, though critics note the sums involved exceed some associations' annual budgets.
- Uefa holds emergency meeting Thursday over Fifa's World Cup investment plans
- Fifa gave associations until 19 September to accept deal or lose payout
- Plan involves selling 20% Fifa competitions stake to Kushner-linked investors
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Fifa, football's world governing body, is proposing to sell a 20% stake in its major competitions to private investors. The plan aims to generate money for distribution to the 211 national football associations that make up Fifa.
Many national associations say they learned about the proposal through media reports rather than through official Fifa communication. Fifa president Gianni Infantino has now given all members until 19 September to accept the deal or lose a one-off payout worth up to $40 million.
Supporters of the plan argue the investment could fund grassroots development, women's football and improved facilities at national level, citing models from Formula 1 and European football leagues. Critics argue that selling stakes in major competitions should involve greater transparency and earlier consultation with member associations.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Fifa could argue that private investment offers a substantial new source of funding for football, helping associations improve pitches, grassroots programmes and women’s football. If participation is voluntary and the terms are sound, sharing future returns with investors could be a pragmatic way to support development without relying solely on existing revenues.
The case against
Associations could argue that a deadline tied to losing a major one-off payment puts pressure on them to accept a consequential deal before they have had enough time or information to assess it. Selling investors a stake in Fifa competitions may also affect football’s long-term interests, so members deserve transparent terms and meaningful consultation before committing.