UEFA will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss its response to controversial World Cup stakeholder proposals put forward by FIFA and its president, Gianni Infantino.
The meeting follows growing opposition to FIFA’s plans after it emerged that the world football governing body had written to its 211 member associations, giving them until September 19 to decide whether to support the proposal. Associations that approve the plan would receive the first $20 million of a proposed $40 million one-off payment.
Reacting to the development, UEFA criticised FIFA’s approach, accusing it of pressuring member associations into backing the proposal.
“We have learned of FIFA’s deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn. This says everything you need to know about this plan,” UEFA said in a statement.
The remarks followed an earlier statement in which European football’s governing body accused FIFA of having “crossed a line.”
Although the agenda of Thursday’s virtual meeting has not been made public, it is expected to focus on UEFA’s collective response to the proposal and its implications for global football governance.
The controversy intensified after reports revealed that FIFA’s proposal involves selling a 20 percent stake in its competitions to private investors led by Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle owned by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of Ivanka Trump.
Several national football associations, including England’s Football Association (FA), have expressed frustration over learning about the proposal through media reports rather than through formal consultation.
FA Chair Debbie Hewitt, who also serves as one of FIFA’s vice-presidents, was reportedly not informed in advance of the plans.
UEFA’s concerns have also been echoed by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), highlighting growing unease across world football over FIFA’s handling of the proposed investment deal.
