UEFA to boycott World Cup Over $20B Kushner-linked FIFA deal: sources

Key Points:

• UEFA plans to boycott the 2030 World Cup and all FIFA-organized competitions in protest against FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s $20 billion privatization scheme involving private equity investment, which UEFA views as a Wall Street-style takeover of global soccer.
• The boycott, expected to be approved in emergency talks, would see European nations withdraw from FIFA events but continue participating in UEFA-controlled regional tournaments like the Champions League and European Championship.
• Infantino’s plan involves creating a private subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to commercialize World Cup rights, with Thrive Eternal, a firm linked to the Kushner family, poised to acquire a 20% stake for over $4.2 billion; this has sparked backlash from European soccer bodies and politicians.
• The move threatens to severely damage FIFA’s flagship tournament by excluding powerhouse European teams, potentially crippling the World Cup’s global appeal and broadcasting revenues, and escalating tensions between FIFA and European football authorities.
• European leaders and officials criticize the commercialization and privatization of football, emphasizing that the sport is a cultural institution, not a commodity, while Infantino faces growing opposition over governance issues and his close ties to political figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump.