UEFA launched an unprecedented official attack on FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino, declaring that the World Cup belongs to football and will never be sold, and that European national teams will boycott the next tournament, according to a report by N12.
UEFA has issued a sharp official attack on FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino, threatening a European boycott of the next World Cup, according to a report by N12. The statement, attributed to the European football body, declares that the World Cup 'belongs to football' and will 'never be for sale,' and that European national teams will boycott the next tournament if the competition is commercialized.
The development escalates a deepening rift between European football governance and FIFA. As The Zioneer reported Wednesday, Infantino recently defended a proposal to 'sell' parts of the World Cup, framing it as a suggestion rather than a mandate. The proposal drew sharp criticism from European officials, with Politico reporting that senior figures were working to replace Infantino with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. The European Commissioner for Sport also weighed in, stating that decisions on sports rules belong to sports bodies, not politicians.
If carried out, a European boycott would represent a historic split in international football, effectively sidelining many of the sport's most competitive national teams from the premier global tournament. The situation remains developing, with no official confirmation from UEFA or FIFA at this time.
- StrongUEFA launches unprecedented attack on FIFA's Infantino, threatens 2030 World Cup boycott over privatization plan
- DevelopingInfantino pushes back against criticism over 'selling the World Cup' proposal
- DevelopingPolitico: European football officials push to replace Infantino with Qatar's Al-Khelaifi as FIFA president
- StrongUEFA issues dramatic statement against FIFA over overturning of US player's red card
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