European football’s governing body, Uefa, has strongly criticized Fifa’s recent proposals to seek private investment in its competitions, including the World Cup. Fifa, the global governing body of football, announced its intention to increase football development funding to over $10 billion (£7.5 billion), aiming to grow the sport worldwide, pending approval from its member associations.

The Financial Times and the Times first reported the story, with the Times suggesting that the plans could potentially earn Fifa president Gianni Infantino tens of millions of pounds. In response, Uefa issued a statement declaring, "This crosses a line that football's governing institutions should never cross," emphasizing, "None of us are the owners of football. [The World Cup] is not Fifa's to sell."

The dispute highlights tensions between Fifa’s financial strategies and Uefa’s stance on the governance and commercialization of football’s flagship events.

Sources