Fifa to continue consultation after Uefa boycott threat, saying "nobody is selling football"

Fifa has said it will proceed with a consultation over a controversial proposal despite strong opposition from European associations and insisted that "nobody is selling football". The world governing body also accused the media of disrupting the process and faced the prospect of a Uefa-led boycott.

Published: 2026-07-31T04:55:54.0000000Z. The consultation concerns plans to sell portions of the World Cup to US-based private investment, a proposal that has prompted sharp criticism from some confederations. Fifa issued a statement rejecting the idea that the sport itself was for sale and argued the process had been affected by reporting it described as inaccurate. "Consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports," Fifa says. In response, Uefa member associations held an emergency meeting on Thursday and raised the threat of coordinated action.

Fifa's announcement was framed as an effort to keep the consultation moving despite the backlash. The governing body repeated that the mechanics of the proposal were still being discussed and emphasised that no transfer of football ownership was intended. The organisation also pointed to the need to clarify details that had, it said, been misrepresented in the press.

European federations reacted forcefully at the emergency meeting. After that session on Thursday, Uefa member associations agreed to boycott all Fifa tournaments, including World Cups, unless the proposal was abandoned entirely. The boycott threat signalled the depth of opposition among European members to the idea of involving private US-based investors in parts of the World Cup.

Fifa and Uefa are now publicly at odds over the future of the consultation and its aims. Fifa has committed to continuing the review process while maintaining its denial that football is being sold, and Uefa has set a clear condition for withdrawing its threat. Both positions were outlined in statements circulated following the exchanges between the organisations.

The dispute leaves the consultation on a contentious path: Fifa intends to carry on with its review, and Uefa member associations have demanded the plan be dropped or face a boycott of Fifa events, including World Cups. Further clarification from both sides will be needed to determine whether the process can proceed without escalating the standoff.