UEFA nations vow to boycott FIFA World Cups over private investment proposal

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and its 55 member associations have unanimously agreed to boycott FIFA competitions if world football's governing body proceeds with plans to sell ownership stakes in the FIFA World Cup and other major tournaments to private investors.

In a statement released after the meeting, UEFA confirmed that all its members had "unanimously and unequivocally" rejected FIFA's proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors."As a result of today's discussion, no UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership," UEFA said.