FIFA's World Cup commercial rights sale plan triggers emergency UEFA meeting

European football's governing body, UEFA, has convened an emergency meeting for all 55 member associations to address FIFA's controversial plans to sell stakes in its commercial rights, including those for the World Cup. The meeting comes in response to FIFA's announcement, made less than two weeks after the World Cup final, that it intends to raise billions by potentially selling off parts of its commercial interests.

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We must not make it a plaything for investors. We must not lose the acceptance of the fans, but we are well on the way to destroying this acceptance. I consider this extremely problematic and unacceptable.

UEFA has already signaled strong opposition to the proposal. German Football Association (DFB) President Bernd Neuendorf sharply criticized FIFA's plans, emphasizing the need for football to remain independent. "We must not make it a plaything for investors," Neuendorf stated, warning that the move risks alienating fans. "I consider this extremely problematic and unacceptable."

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We are deeply concerned about the development in FIFA. We stand behind UEFA's statement on this matter.

Norwegian FA President Lise Klaveness echoed these concerns, expressing deep worry about developments within FIFA. "We stand behind UEFA's statement on this matter," Klaveness said, adding that recent events cannot be viewed in isolation. She highlighted ongoing concerns about FIFA's leadership processes, citing a lack of transparency and the need to maintain a necessary distance from heads of state and external interests seeking to influence the sport.

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The developments of the last few days cannot be understood in isolation. We have expressed concern over a longer period, in many different matters, both internally and externally, about increasingly deficient processes in FIFA's leadership.

Javier Tebas, president of Spain's La Liga, directly targeted FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating, "FIFA's competitions and commercial rights are not Infantino's personal property." Tebas argued that Infantino's blending of politics, discipline, money, and power without transparency disqualifies him from leadership. The European players' union, Fifpro, also opposes the plans, particularly criticizing the lack of professional player involvement in developing such a significant project, which they note was advanced largely behind closed doors.

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FIFA's competitions and commercial rights are not Infantino's personal property. Anyone who mixes politics, discipline, money, and power without transparency is not fit to lead anything. Infantino is not the solution for FIFA's leadership. He is the problem.