After an emergency meeting... Europe threatens to boycott the World Cup

UEFA threatened on Thursday that it would boycott the World Cup if FIFA proceeds with its project to involve private-sector investors. In a statement, UEFA said: “No European national team will participate in any tournament organized by FIFA as long as these proposals remain on the table, unless they are completely withdrawn, with binding guarantees provided that FIFA’s governance and competitions will not be reopened to private ownership.” It added: “The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product... and no part of it should ever be ceded to private-sector investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”