3 min readJul 31, 2026 09:29 AM IST
CONCACAF, the governing body for football in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, rejected FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup during a meeting on Thursday. While the American regional bloc did not go as far as UEFA in threatening a boycott, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said it would study the proposal before deciding its position.
CONCACAF said its 41 member associations expressed “deep concerns” about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the short deadline, and the absence of any review or approval by relevant FIFA governance bodies.
“The discussion reinforced the need for greater transparency and proper governance,” CONCACAF said in a statement. “For these reasons, CONCACAF and its 41 Member Associations have rejected the proposal.”
The FMF later said FIFA had informed it of the proposal on July 28 and would provide member associations with additional information and documentation through a series of round tables before a decision is made.
“The FMF will complete this process of study and analysis in order to take the decision that best serves the development of Mexican football,” the federation added, without stating whether it supported CONCACAF’s decision to reject the proposal.
FIFA announced on Tuesday that it plans to create a semi-private subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to sell minority, non-controlling stakes in the business operations of the World Cup and other tournaments. While retaining majority control, FIFA aims to raise $4.2 billion from long-term investors later this year.
Unanimous UEFA to boycott World Cup
Earlier, UEFA’s member associations unanimously voted to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions in protest against the proposal. Europe’s governing body issued a strong statement reaffirming its opposition.
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“Europe’s position is clear. We will never lend this model our legitimacy. No one has the moral authority to sell what they merely hold in trust for the next generation. 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. Nobody should be in any doubt: UEFA and its national associations will oppose these plans with absolute determination.”
The statement added: “UEFA and its 55 member associations stand as one. We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The World Cup cannot be treated as an investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent. No part of it should ever be surrendered to private investors. The World Cup is not for sale.”
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