European soccer leaders to boycott the World Cup in an unprecedented step
UEFA and other European soccer bodies are threatening to boycott the World Cup if FIFA proceeds with a plan to sell commercial stakes in the tournament to private investors. The controversy centers on FIFA's proposal to create a company for commercial rights, which includes potential involvement from investors linked to the Trump administration.
Why it matters
A boycott by European nations would be an unprecedented disruption to the world's most popular sporting event and highlights tensions over the commercialization of global sports.
UEFA, Europe's main soccer body, said on Thursday its members would boycott the men's and women's World Cup unless FIFA abandons a controversial plan to sell stakes in in the tournament to private investors.
Sports FIFA has a new plan to raise billions of dollars: Selling stakes in the World Cup A boycott of one of the world's top sporting competitions would mark an unprecedented step for European nations. It also threatens to imperil a proposal unveiled by FIFA this week to create a company to handle all commercial rights to its tournaments, including the marquee World Cup.
The dispute comes ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will mark the tournament's centenary, celebrating 100 years since the inaugural edition in Uruguay in 1930. The event will be staged mainly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
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