{"id":15173,"date":"2026-07-30T18:01:03","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:01:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=15173"},"modified":"2026-07-30T18:01:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:01:05","slug":"world-game-at-war-why-some-european-nations-have-threatened-a-world-cup-boycott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/world-game-at-war-why-some-european-nations-have-threatened-a-world-cup-boycott\/","title":{"rendered":"World game at war: why some European nations have threatened a World Cup\u00a0boycott"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A little over a week since the 2026 men\u2019s World Cup final, world soccer appears on the brink of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main battleground is a proposal from FIFA president Gianni Infantino to sell off a key function of the not-for-profit association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has even led to a threat from some European nations to boycott upcoming World Cups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why is Infantino\u2019s proposal so controversial and why are so many nations against the plan?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FIFA Forward Enterprise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Infantino\u2019s idea is to create a $US20 billion (A$29 billion) commercial subsidiary, named the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to run major competitions such as the men\u2019s and women\u2019s World Cups and club World Cups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The plan would need to be approved by FIFA\u2019s 211 national member associations, which would then be able to access this capital to support their development programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Infantino describes this as the \u201cdemocratisation of football [soccer] worldwide\u201d, his proposed partial privatisation of FIFA has provoked strong opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics include new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and FIFA\u2019s most powerful confederation, UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European governing body complains Infantino\u2019s plan \u201ccrosses a line\u201d by trading the \u201csoul and governance of football\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UEFA has called an emergency meeting to discuss a response, including a potential World Cup boycott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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