Uefa Holds Emergency Meeting Over World Cup Sell-Off
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- Uefa announced an emergency virtual meeting for Thursday afternoon to coordinate its response to Fifa's proposed sale of a 20% stake in World Cup competitions to private finance, after accusing Fifa of "crossing a line."
- Fifa sent a letter to all 211 member associations giving them until 19 September to accept the deal — which includes an initial $40m (£30m) payment, $20m of it upfront — or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn.
- The private finance bid is led by the Thrive Eternal investment vehicle owned by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of Ivanka Trump.
- Football Association chairwoman Debbie Hewitt was among Fifa vice-presidents not given advance warning of the proposal, and Uefa's opposition has been echoed by the Asian, South American, and North and Central American Confederations.
- European Leagues said the proposals represent "a reckless and divisive development for world football," adding "The World Cup should not be for sale," while players' union Fifpro called on Fifa to "reconsider its proposal without further delay."
- La Liga president Javier Tebas accused Infantino of running "an electoral campaign financed with the future of football" ahead of the next Fifa congress in March.
- Czech Republic FA president David Trunda broke ranks, saying "We can see the pragmatic benefits for Czech football" — proof the plan isn't universally opposed.
Why it matters: Three 2026 World Cup semi-finalists sit among Uefa's 55 members, making a tournament pullout the nuclear option that would damage the deal's financial viability. Fifa's 19 September deadline forces every association to choose between a $40m payout and opposing governance overreach ahead of a Fifa congress vote in March.
