UEFA’s 55 member associations, including England, have agreed to boycott
FIFA-organized competitions if FIFA president Gianni Infantino proceeds with
plans to sell parts of World Cup commercial rights to private investors, a
person familiar with the matter said. The boycott would cover the World Cup and
FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup — a potential rival to UEFA’s lucrative Champions
League — and is expected to significantly undermine Infantino’s proposal. FIFA’s
211 member associations must approve the plan by Sept. 19 or face possible
financial penalties. UEFA began internal discussions this week on how clubs and
member associations would implement the resistance after rejecting FIFA’s
investor proposal earlier.
