UEFA to hold emergency meeting today over FIFA plan to sell $4bn stake - with World Cup boycott being considered

European football's governing body will hold an emergency meeting today following FIFA's controversial proposal to sell a stake in its competitions.

A possible boycott of the World Cup is among the options being considered by UEFA's 55 member nations, who will convene this afternoon to discuss a collective response to FIFA's plans to set up a separate $20bn (£15bn) company to run its competitions, with 20% of it to be offered to external investors.

The lead investor in the subsidiary – to be called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) – is Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The plans, announced by FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Tuesday, have sparked accusations football is being "sold off" and drawn widespread criticism from the football community and beyond.

UEFA said the proposal "crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross", while England's Football Association (FA) said it was "deeply concerned" about what it called a "lack of process and governance" and "the apparent substance and principles involved".

'Walk the walk and back boycott'

Former FA chair David Bernstein told The Daily Telegraph that FIFA's plans "stink" and supported calls to boycott football's showpiece event, adding: "The FA have to back that, and we have to walk the walk."

A number of regional governing bodies, including CONCACAF – which looks after football in North and Central America and the Caribbean – and the Asian Football Confederation, said they had not been consulted by FIFA ahead of the announcement.

Football's 'soul' at risk

On Wednesday, the European Leagues – an association that represents over 1,000 clubs in 31 countries across the continent – released a statement condemning the proposal.

The Premier League, a founding member of the European Leagues, said it "fully supports this statement".

Speaking to new agency Reuters, Sepp Blatter, who was FIFA president from 1998 until 2015, was also critical, warning that the plans risked football losing "its soul".

Meanwhile, in a post on social media, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine."

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There are those, however, who appear to support FIFA's proposal. David Trunda, the head of the Czech FA, told Sky's City editor Mark Kleinman it would provide valuable extra funding for grassroots football and infrastructure.

"Of course we need more details, but my personal point of view is that I can see the positive impact of FIFA's intentions," Mr Trunda said.

A string of controversies

Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris said Mr Infantino has given national associations until 19 September to back his plan, with a boosted $40m incentive to accept.

Mr Infantino made the offer in a letter to FIFA's 211 member associations, warning they would have much less cash for development, grassroots football and national teams if they did not support his plan.

He said the launch of FFE needed the backing of its ruling council and more than 50% of its members.

The plans follow a string of controversies surrounding the recent World Cup, which was held in the US, Canada and Mexico.

FIFA's decision to suspend a red card ban for US player Folarin Balogun after Donald Trump had called Mr Infantino ahead of co-hosts' last-16 clash with Belgium garnered widespread criticism, and fuelled further accusations of the FIFA chief being too close to Mr Trump.

Mr Infantino awarded the US president with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize earlier this year.

The growing commercialisation of the World Cup, such as soaring ticket prices and the introduction of hydration breaks (which allow more adverts to be shown), has also been widely criticised.

FIFA's boss said critics of this summer's tournament were "consumed by hate" and had spread "false rumours".

In a statement on his own and FIFA's Instagram accounts on Monday, Mr Infantino said they missed all the "joy and happiness" the event had brought.

(c) Sky News 2026: UEFA to hold emergency meeting today over FIFA plan to sell $4bn stake - with Wo