AFC joins UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA World Cup stake plan

sportsJul 31, 202620264

The Asian Football Confederation said on Friday it "stands in solidarity" with UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA president Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors. The AFC said the plan could not "realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward" and warned any proposal that "risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered." Infantino has said the proposals would need a straight majority of 106 of FIFA's 211 members to pass; UEFA holds 55 votes, Concacaf 35 and the AFC 46. UEFA voted to boycott World Cups if the plan proceeds, and Concacaf has also rejected the proposals; CONMEBOL has not publicly commented. The AFC criticised FIFA for setting the "direction of travel" on a major initiative without proper consultation, saying FIFA's consultation and decision-making processes have exposed "fundamental weaknesses." The AFC called for an urgent review of FIFA's governance and decision-making framework to ensure future proposals of global significance are developed through proper consultation and oversight. FIFA responded that it would continue with the plan while insisting "nobody is selling football" and that media reports had disrupted the consultation process.

John Bull

@garius.bsky.social

Aaaaand that's Asia out. Infantino wouldn't even have the votes now, if he DID put it to one.

11245d ago

Top Cat Ollie18

Good. Nice to see the Trump kiss of death is doing its job.

Stéphanie11

Waiting for South America like it’s just Argentina saying no…

The Pin is mightier than the sword10

the AFC statement is interesting inasmuch as it kind of reads as "well given UEFA are extremely out this is definitely not going to work, that notwithstanding, we blame FIFA for this"

Skyblaze10

I don't even care about football, but watching corrupt fuckers at FIFA get a deserved kicking is very satisfying

Jane Goth8

AFC calling for FIFA governance to be looked at too. Infantino seriously overestimated his hand here.

irishoutsider7

lol a plan so corrupt he couldn’t keep AFC onside

Quoting this

Kate Bevan16

And of course Trump's inky black network of greed and corruption reaches far beyond the White House: Infantino has been so far up Trump's arse he's seeing daylight at the other end. Trump has emboldened the very worst, the most venal of collaborators bsky.app/profile/gari...

Ita Bloyce5

That makes three. Get stuffed, Infantino.

waltydunlop2

Extraordinary. Never seen the like of this.

Alex Shephard

@alexshephard.bsky.social

I wrote about the latest idiocy from Gianni Infantino newrepublic.com/article/2137...

2545d ago

Quoting this

Subscribe to Radio Free America (link in bio)38

Hopefully UEFA can throw around its weight and replace Infantino with a reformer like France great and former UEFA head Michel Platini

Wendell Albright6

"Infantino decided that no one can lay a glove on him because he—not FIFA—owns the World Cup. He is behaving like a king, even more so than usual."

Nancy Thompson

@thmpsnnancy.bsky.social

Nearly All of Europe Vow to Boycott World Cup Over Plan for Kushner Family Sale truthout.org/articles/nea...

1445d ago

Impiety

@noholyscripture.bsky.social

Football is not for sale! UEFA reacted furiously to FIFA plan to seek private investment in competitions including World Cup; FIFA insists it would retain sole control over governance & sporting decisions; Andy Burnham says: "Football belongs to the fans" 👏👏👏 www.skysports.com/football/new...

1545d ago

Shoshana 🏳️‍⚧️

@shoshana.bsky.social

It bugs me that this is happening before the Women's World Cup next year 😡 FIFA knows they have plenty of time to assuage the 55 European countries in time for the 2030 Men's World Cup, but this could doom the 2027 Women's World Cup with more than half the top teams boycotting.

1745d ago

DJ Fusion [FuseBox Radio/The Futon Dun]

@fuseboxradio.bsky.social

UEFA vows World Cup boycott as Concacaf rejects FIFA private equity plan l ESPN www.espn.com/soccer/story...

745d ago

Tyler King

@tyleraking.com

The plan would essentially separate the global soccer rules-making side of FIFA from the competition side, allowing private ownership of the World Cup tournaments.

What are the new plans?
On Tuesday, FIFA confirmed its proposal to sell a significant minority stake in a new entity that it, as a nonprofit organisation, is setting up to run its main events, such as the World Cups and Club World Cups.
This new entity will be called FIFA
Forward Enterprises (FFE) and will take over FIFA's commercial operations, with the organisation itself remaining soccer's global governing body and retaining a majority stake in FFE. A press release from FIFA said it was seeking to sell up to 21 per cent of FFE, aiming to bring in $4.2billion (£3.2bn).
That money could be immediately released to its member associations.

845d ago

barbisblue

@barbisblue.bsky.social

UEFA will boycott all FIFA competitions including the World Cup after an emergency meeting Thursday resolved to "unequivocally reject" FIFA president Gianni Infantino's plan to raise $20 billion of outside investment with a share sell-off to a private equity group.

945d ago

mqb2766.bsky.social

@mqb2766.bsky.social

Even blatter says it controversial and he should know. news.sky.com/story/fa-dee...

1045d ago

Talk Football

@talk-football.com

🇪🇺⚽🏆 UEFA Threatens FIFA Boycott UEFA’s 55 members have rejected FIFA’s plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights to private investors. They warn no European teams will join FIFA tournaments unless the proposal is abandoned, claiming the World Cup “is not for sale.”

UEFA will boycott FIFA tournaments if Gianni Infantino goes ahead with his proposal to sell off a stake in the World Cup.

745d ago

TVP World

@tvpworld.bsky.social

UEFA nations vote unanimously to boycott World Cup over FIFA stake sale plans.

345d ago

Ron Sparks

@ronsparks.ca

Can you imagine a world without FIFA?! ... I can and it's wonderful! UEFA > Infantino + Kushner (Trump)

545d ago

Chris Weatherspoon

@cweatherspoon.bsky.social

Key distinction now clear: FIFA's proposal ties FFE creation to the equity sale. FIFA’s proposal to members is absolute: FFE with an accompanying stake sale, or no FFE at all. In effect: agree to a sale or we won't maximise revenues @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/748...

545d ago

Robin-DeBowler

@robin-debowler.bsky.social

And I would have succeeded had it not been for those pesky confederations. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

345d ago

Russia-Ukraine Daily News

@rvps2001.bsky.social

In other news, ⚽ UEFA's member associations have unanimously voted to ‌boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in protest at ⁠FIFA's plan to sell stakes to external investors in a subsidiary that will run the global governing body's ‌tournaments. www.reuters.com/sports/socce...

445d ago

1 source

bbc.co.ukAFC joins Uefa and Concacaf in opposing Fifa plan

FIFA scraps controversial World Cup investment plansports Carlos Cordeiro quits as FIFA advisersports Tony Romo on leave from CBS Sports after OWI arrestsports AFC joins UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA World Cup stake plansports

AFC joins UEFA and Concacaf in opposing FIFA World Cup stake plan

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