European football governing body UEFA has warned it will boycott the FIFA World Cup if FIFA proceeds with plans to allow private investors to take minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary that would manage major tournaments. The strong statement marks one of the most significant disputes between the two organisations in recent years.

FIFA recently unveiled its proposal to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a commercial entity responsible for competitions such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. The governing body hopes to raise up to $4.2 billion through minority investment, valuing the enterprise at around $20 billion. FIFA says the initiative would generate additional revenue to develop football globally, including a one-off payment of $20 million to each of its 211 member associations in 2027 and increased funding for the 2027–2030 cycle.

However, UEFA strongly rejected the proposal, insisting that the World Cup is a global sporting legacy that should never be treated as a commercial asset. It accused FIFA of developing the plan in secret and presenting it without meaningful consultation with member associations. UEFA described the process as a failure of leadership and claimed national federations were being pressured into accepting irreversible changes.

The European body argued that allowing private investment in football’s biggest tournament risks undermining the sport’s integrity and governance. It pledged to oppose the proposal with “absolute determination” and declared that no UEFA national teams would participate in FIFA competitions unless the investment plan is completely abandoned and FIFA guarantees it will never again seek private ownership of its competitions.

The proposal has also attracted criticism beyond Europe. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) expressed concern that FIFA announced the plan before fully consulting its member associations. Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has urged its members to carefully examine the proposal before taking a position.

Despite the backlash, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defended the initiative, calling it a “golden opportunity” to accelerate football’s global development. With strong opposition from UEFA and growing concern among other confederations, the future of FIFA’s investment plan is likely to face intense debate before any final decision is made.