European Leagues reject FIFA's World Cup sale plan

European Leagues, representing professional football leagues across the continent, has officially rejected FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell a commercial stake in the World Cup to private investors. The organization views this plan as a threat to the core principles of football and a potential risk of ceding long-term control of the world's most prestigious competition to private entities.

Claudius Schäfer, president of European Leagues, stated that responsible football leaders must unite against this proposal. He emphasized the duty to protect not only the current state of the game but also future generations of players and supporters, ensuring the sport remains healthy, sustainable, and true to its values. The European Leagues characterized FIFA's plan to establish a new subsidiary for managing the tournament's commercial rights and organization, involving private investors, as a reckless and divisive action.

The organization stressed that the World Cup is not FIFA's president's personal property to be traded. They argued that the tournament's true value is built by leagues, clubs, players, and fans, yet these key stakeholders have been denied any say in the decision-making process. European Leagues highlighted that football's global success relies on an open pyramid system balancing domestic and international competitions, and commercial opportunities should strengthen, not undermine, this structure.

Furthermore, European Leagues sharply criticized FIFA's process for developing the proposal, describing it as opaque and unilateral. They see this as part of a larger pattern of contentious decisions by FIFA, particularly concerning the international match calendar. The organization has already filed a complaint with the European Commission, alleging FIFA abused its dominant position and violated EU competition law in setting the match calendar. They advocate for transparent and accountable processes involving all stakeholders for any future proposals, referencing the European Court of Justice's ruling on the European Super League case. European Leagues stated they will continue collaborating with UEFA to safeguard football's long-term interests and urged national federations worldwide to critically examine Infantino's proposal.

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Responsible football leaders have a duty to stand together in opposing this proposal not only for today’s game, but for future generations of players and supporters, ensuring we pass on a sport that remains healthy, sustainable and true to the values that have turned it into world’s game.