UEFA — the soccer body that represents 55 European nations — said on Thursday it would maintain its boycott of the World Cup, extending the pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign over a failed plan to sell stakes in the tournament to private investors.
UEFA first announced the boycott last week after FIFA unveiled the plan, which would have involved creating a separate venture to handle all commercial operations of the World Cup and other tournaments — and then selling part of the company to financial firms.
Infantino said the plan would help raise funds that could be distributed across the world — but instead found himself facing a global storm as soccer officials around the world revolted against a move that would have effectively privatized the World Cup.
But one of the biggest blows to Infantino came from within FIFA after a senior adviser quit while a senior executive issued a blistering statement to the Associated Press opposing the plan and saying it had been hatched by Infantino without any internal consultation.
Although Infantino has since abandoned the plan — UEFA said its boycott would remain, saying it wanted a guarantee that FIFA would never again try to commercialize the World Cup in this manner.
"UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions. First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again. These conditions have not been met," UEFA said.
In a separate statement, FIFPRO, the body representing soccer players around the world, also condemned FIFA for pursuing its plan and demanded a set of governance reforms.
Infantino on the ropes
The soccer body — which has a longstanding rivalry with FIFA over who gets to control soccer and its riches — also continued to call for Infantino's ouster. Infantino had previously said he would run for another term as FIFA president in elections scheduled for March. So far, he has not attracted any challengers.
UEFA also dismissed a statement from FIFA on Wednesday in which top officials agreed to close ranks and mend fences after Infantino apologized in an internal emergency meeting in Morocco.
"Yesterday's announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing," UEFA said in its statement.
Other countries have also continued to call for Infantino's ouster, including the English Football Association. Meanwhile, CONMEBOL, which represents South American soccer bodies, did not explicitly call for Infantino's resignation but also did not express its support.
A European boycott — if sustained — would be a lethal threat to FIFA and Infantino. The Women's World Cup is set to take place in Brazil next year and now risks not having European nations, including reigning champion Spain.
And the next men's World Cup is set to take place largely in Spain, Portugal and Morocco — with some games taking place in Argentina and other South American nations.
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