Nyon (Switzerland): European football's governing body Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), has agreed to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, after its 55 member associations unanimously rejected FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell a stake in the tournament to a private equity group.

The decision means major footballing nations, including Germany, France, England and reigning world champions Spain, would not participate in men’s or women’s World Cups for as long as the proposal remains on the table. UEFA said its associations would not take part in FIFA competitions while the plan stood, describing it as something too important to ever be sold.

The rejection deepened hours later when Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also opposed the proposal, following an emergency UEFA meeting. Concacaf, whose members include 2026 World Cup hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico, cited concerns over the lack of due process and an unreasonably short deadline. The AFC called for an urgent review of FIFA’s governance structures.

Infantino had proposed raising $20 billion by selling a stake in FIFA Forward Enterprises, a venture reportedly backed by investor Joshua Kushner, in exchange for influence over future World Cup broadcasting and commercial deals. FIFA has defended the plan, denying that football itself was being sold and blaming media reporting for the backlash.

The proposal would have triggered payouts of more than $80 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations by 2037, with Infantino setting a September 19 deadline for a vote. The growing revolt now threatens to complicate his position ahead of FIFA’s presidential election in Rabat next March.