European football\u2019s governing body has voted to boycott FIFA if World Cup plans pursued, but global body undeterred.<\/p>\n
Published On 31 Jul 202631 Jul 2026<\/p>\n
\u2060FIFA has said it \u2060will push ahead with consultations on a plan to bring private investment into the World Cup and its other tournaments, after Europe\u2019s football federation threatened a boycott and other regional confederations issued stinging rebukes of the plan.<\/p>\n
\u2060Switzerland-based FIFA said \u201cincorrect media reports\u201d had disrupted its planned consultation process<\/a> but it would press on.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list<\/p>\n \u201cWe will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA (Member Association) has the ability to express its vote based on facts,\u201d it said on Friday in a statement issued in the \u2060middle of the European night.<\/p>\n FIFA is pushing to create a $20bn subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run the World Cup and its other events, with a stake of up to 20% to be offered to external investors.<\/p>\n Thrive Eternal, a fund run by Joshua Kushner-founded Thrive Capital, is expected to lead the proposed investor group, FIFA said. Joshua is the brother of Jared Kushner, United States President Donald Trump\u2019s son-in-law.<\/p>\n UEFA leads backlash by confederations over World Cup plan<\/p>\n UEFA has led the criticism of the proposal, accusing FIFA of putting the sport\u2019s \u201csoul\u201d up for sale.<\/p>\n On Thursday, UEFA\u2019s 55 member nations voted unanimously<\/a> to boycott all FIFA tournaments, less than two weeks after Spain were crowned World Cup champions.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody is selling football. This is not something FIFA would ever entertain,\u201d FIFA said.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone has the right to express their opposition and to seek further clarification but no single entity can claim to represent all 211 MAs around the world.<\/p>\n \u201cEach MA should be allowed to review the proposal and have a say in shaping their own future. These are the democratic principles of FIFA.\u201d<\/p>\n CONCACAF, the regional \u2060federation for North America, Central America and the Caribbean, rejected the proposal during a meeting on Thursday\u2060, but the 41-member body did not follow UEFA with a boycott threat.<\/p>\n