Pressure mounts on FIFA.. Europe threatens to boycott the World Cup

The crisis surrounding FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup has entered a new phase of escalation, after 55 European federations threatened to boycott the 2030 World Cup in protest of Infantino’s plans for the project. Members of UEFA agreed during an emergency meeting held yesterday afternoon not to support any tournament organized by FIFA.

On Tuesday, FIFA revealed a project proposing the creation of a company named “FIFA Forward Enterprise,” which would manage its commercial activities (broadcasting, sponsorship, ticket sales, and licensing) and its activities related to the World Cup, the Club World Cup, and others.

For his part, FIFA Vice President and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa directly criticized the deadline given to national federations to decide on the project. Infantino had granted FIFA member federations a 53-day period to approve the plan, in exchange for benefiting from a funding program worth up to $10 billion. He warned that rejecting the project would result in the continuation of the current funding program, valued at only $2.7 billion, meaning a drop of nearly 75% in expected returns for each federation.

In a letter addressed to national federation presidents on behalf of the Asian Football Confederation, Sheikh Salman expressed his “concern and disappointment” at the way the project was presented, confirming that the AFC was not consulted beforehand and did not receive any detailed studies regarding the financial, legal, or governance aspects of the proposal. He added that this approach is “completely unacceptable,” arguing that unilateral actions by FIFA could undermine the foundations of continental work based on solidarity, cooperation, and transparency.

The AFC also criticized the short timeframe allocated to study such a large-scale project, noting that such decisions should not be rushed but require sufficient time for a comprehensive assessment, including legal reviews, governance studies, and extensive consultations, as well as an examination of the long-term effects of the initiative.

According to sources from the British newspaper *The Telegraph*, Infantino informed federations that the project requires approval by a simple majority (50% +1) out of 211 member federations to proceed, while opponents argue that such strategic decisions previously required a 75% majority. Reports indicated that several top football officials, including English Football Association President and FIFA Council member Debbie Hewitt, were unaware of the project before its announcement, further intensifying criticism of the decision-making mechanism.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) called on its member federations to study the project and participate in the consultation process launched by the global football body. CAF stated in a statement two days ago: “CAF President Patrice Motsepe will hold a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee next week to study and evaluate the proposed initiative named ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise.’”

Disciplinary proceedings

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has opened disciplinary proceedings against its Argentine counterpart, which was at the center of several controversies during the 2026 World Cup, as well as against three of the national team players, following events that occurred after their loss to Spain in the final.

The investigation into the Argentine federation concerns four potential violations of FIFA’s disciplinary code: using a sporting event as a platform for non-sporting demonstrations, team misconduct, discrimination and racially motivated incidents, and order and security during matches. FIFA’s statement referred to “discriminatory chants and gestures,” delays in the start of some matches, and “inappropriate messages displayed by the team and fans,” as well as fans throwing objects during several matches, without providing further details.

Argentina’s behavior during the World Cup, where it defended the title it won in 2022, sparked numerous reactions due to the actions of its players and fans. FIFA had previously announced that it was also investigating an incident in which Argentine players raised a banner on the pitch reading “Falkland Islands are Argentine” after defeating England in the semi-finals.

In a separate file, the Disciplinary Committee opened proceedings against Argentine players Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada, assistant coach Roberto Ayala, and Spanish defender Gavi, due to violent incidents that occurred immediately after the final whistle of the World Cup final. Paredes was the most prominent figure involved, as he knocked Eric Garcia to the ground and grabbed him by the neck, before also getting into a confrontation with Gavi. He faces three charges, the highest number among all players under investigation.

FIFA stated that “the persons concerned now have the opportunity to present their positions. After that, the Disciplinary Committee will issue its decision in due course.”