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UEFA's member associations have responded to FIFA President Gianni Infantino's announcement to sell off stakes in its football competitions, including the World Cup.
All 55 associations under UEFA, including England, have voted to boycott the World Cup if FIFA proceeds with its plan to sell shares to private investors.
This decision was made at an emergency meeting on Thursday (July 30), following proposals being made by FIFA, world football's governing body, on Tuesday.
UEFA governs European football, and they made their stance clear earlier this week with two concise statements about the plans.
They criticized the proposals, claiming that it "crosses a line," as FIFA looks to expand "football development funding" to more than $10bn, inviting third-party investment.
The boycott suggested would cover all FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups and Club World Cup.
The first time this will be demonstrated is in October, when the Women's World Cup play-offs are scheduled.
The statement released by the European football association was released after the meeting, reading that its members "stand as one."
It further read: "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."
They went on: “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 described FIFA's plan as “irresponsible and indefensible,” adding that it was “conceived in secret and brought to the brink of approval without any meaningful consultation with those entrusted with stewarding the game.”
“Some things are simply too important to sell. The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale,” the federation definitively stated.
During Thursday's call, over 40 representatives voiced their anger at how UEFA had been treated by the governing body.
Some asked why FIFA reserves couldn't be used for the development of the game instead, while pointing towards concerns about the lack of consultation on FIFA’s controversial investment plans.
Infantino had written to all 211 FIFA member associations, promising a payment of $40m if they went along with his highly-criticized plan to sell stakes in its major competitions.
A deadline of September 19 was set for football federations to accept his plans if they wanted access to an initial reward of $20m.
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Michel Plantini, the former president of UEFA and head of European football, has been taken into custody over the decision to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.
France's Mediapart claim that Platini was arrested on Tuesday as part of the investigation into the decision to host the World Cup in Qatar. He was allegedly taken to the premises of the Anti-Corruption Office of the Judicial Police (OCLCIFF)
The 63-year-old was the president of UEFA between 2007 and 2015, before he was banned by the Fifa Ethics Committee.
Platani is currently serving a four-year ban from football - which is due to end in October of this year - after he was found guilty of receiving a "disloyal payment" from ex-Fifa president, Sepp Blatter.
Qatar was named as the host of the 2020 World Cup back in December of 2010, however, there have been doubts regarding their suitability.
The former Juventus midfielder and France captain was also co-president of the organising committee at France 98, and recently admitted that the group allocations for seeded teams were made with a "dream" final in mind.
More to follow...
Gareth Southgate has confirmed that he wants to remain England's manager at the 2022 World Cup.
Southgate, 50, said that he felt like his "stomach has been ripped out" after England lost the Euro 2020 final during a nail-biting penalty shootout against Italy.
The current England manager is still under contract until 2020, per BBC, and the Football Association is keen to renew his deal when this comes to an end.
"As I sit here today, I would want to be taking the team to Qatar," he told the media after England's loss.
"We of course have to qualify for Qatar. I need some time to watch last night's game again, to reflect on the tournament.
"I need a rest. It's an amazing experience to lead your country in these tournaments, but it takes its toll."
Southgate said it was great to have the Football Association's "internal support" after he led England to their first major men's final since 1966, but he made a point of stressing that his desire to not rush contract talks was "not financial".
"There's a lot to think through," he added. "I feel we've made progress over four years. A lot of things we've done right and we know this team isn't at its peak yet.
"When you're in sport and you get to finals, those opportunities are so rare, so to be close, it's very hard the day after. You have given everything - the emotions are drained.
"We will go again. It's too easy to say we can go to the World Cup in Qatar and win - that's a bit glib. We still have to qualify. You have to start the cycle again.
"But to be able to work with these players every day has been fantastic, so when it comes to the end like it has now, it's hard."
England was one of the youngest teams to reach the Euro 2020 finals, which has caused many people, including Southgate himself, to state that the best has yet to come from the players.
When asked if England were "too nice" to win a major tournament, Southgate said that they would not have reached the final of the Euros if this was the case.
"All of this team can go again but the young ones are still two to four years from peaking," he added.
"I know as I reflect over the coming days there are a huge number of positives and these players will be far better for going through so many important wins and landmarks."
Fifa has banned the sale of alcohol at World Cup stadiums, a mere 48 hours before the tournament is due to begin and despite Budweiser having a multi-million dollar deal with the sports governing body.
The World Cup, the most-watched sporting event on the planet, is due to begin in Qatar on Sunday, but soccer fans hoping to get an alcoholic beverage at the games will be left disappointed, the Daily Mail reports.
The tournament has already been the subject of controversy, with a new Netflix documentary shining a light on the alleged bribery to secure Qatar as the host nation.
This will be the first time a country in the Middle East will be hosting the games, and also the first time it will take place in November and December. The usual calendar has the tournament played every four years in June and July, but with temperatures reaching 98F in Qatar during these months, it was deemed unsafe.
Now, after pressure from the country's royal family, no alcohol will be permitted within the stadium. Beer company Budweiser is thought to have a $75 million dollar deal with Fifa, per the Daily Mail.
Fifa released the following statement: "Following discussions between host country authorities and FIFA, a decision has been made to focus the sale of alcoholic beverages on the FIFA Fan Festival, other fan destinations, and licensed venues, removing sales points of beer from Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium perimeters."
It was thought that Qatar recognized that beer is often part of soccer culture, but the U-turn has angered fans. The Sun cited this comment from The Football Supporters Association: "Some fans like a beer at a game and some don't.
"But the real issue is the last-minute u-turn which speaks to a wider problem - the total lack of communication and clarity from the organizing committee towards supporters.
"If they can change their minds on this at a moment's notice, with no explanation, supporters will have understandable concerns about whether they will fulfill other promises relating to accommodation, transport or cultural issues."
Budweiser is yet to state whether it will be seeking legal action, though a tweet from its official Twitter account was uploaded and swiftly deleted. The tweet read: "Well this is awkward..."
Despite this news, fans will still be able to purchase alcohol in designated fan zones and beer will be available at the stadiums in corporate hospitality.
Donald Trump has unexpectedly weighed in on England's World Cup semi-final defeat, questioning one of Thomas Tuchel's tactical decisions after the Three Lions' dramatic loss to Argentina.
England looked on course to reach their first men's World Cup final since lifting the trophy in 1966 after taking the lead in the second half.
However, late goals from Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez completed a turnaround for Argentina, who booked their place in the final against Spain.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Tuchel came under heavy criticism for making defensive substitutions after England went 1-0 up, with many pundits and supporters arguing the changes handed momentum to Argentina.
Despite the backlash, the Football Association has publicly backed the German coach, who is under contract until 2028.
Now, the US President has added his voice to the debate.
Speaking at a FIFA reception in New York on Friday, Trump singled out England captain Harry Kane while questioning why the team's approach became so defensive after taking the lead.
"You have a great player in England, who I played golf with," Trump said. "You know that, right? He is Harry, who's been fantastic."
Trump then appeared to criticise Tuchel's tactics, saying: "I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player."
Referring to England dropping deeper to protect their advantage, he added: "They took the lead, and they took their best player, and they put him on defence."
Although Trump admitted he wasn't an expert on football tactics, he suggested England should have continued to attack rather than sitting back.
"What do I know about soccer?" he said. "We got to be a little offensive, right?... Look, what do I know about coaching?"
Still, he admitted the tactical switch struck him as unusual, adding: "I thought that was a little unusual, but Harry is a great guy actually."
The comments come as the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, prepares to conclude with Argentina facing European champions Spain in the final.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is due to kick off at the Estadio Bonarte in Mexico City on June 11, but fans of some nations may face some trouble if they're traveling to any games in the US.
Back in June 2025, the Trump Administration provided a list of 75 countries whose citizens were handed "suspended immigrant visa processing."
It's made the travel situation more stressful, with many countries' fans left in limbo with just one week to go until the tournament kicks off.
The tournament is taking place across the North American continent, with the US, Canada, and Mexico hosting games.
However, the majority of games, including the final, will be played on American soil.
So, with the biggest tournament in world soccer fast approaching, how will Trump's immigration restrictions affect those looking to make the trek to the US?
A footballer has already fallen victim to the US' new visa restrictions, as Swiss forward Breel Donald Embolo couldn't fly to the US with the squad after his ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) was denied.
However, it is believed that this was due to a criminal case from his home nation in 2023, as he was found guilty of making multiple threats, and he was also given a suspended fine following an altercation back in 2018.
It isn't clear if similar issues have taken place on a wider scale yet, but with the World Cup fast approaching, fans are bracing themselves.
The move to suspend immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries is expected to have numerous effects, having first been implemented in January 2026.
As one of the biggest changes to US immigration practices under the Trump administration, it was decided to reduce legal immigration by restricting entry for individuals from countries deemed likely to rely on public assistance.
It has primarily affected applicants from a number of regions such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
Luckily, this suspension should not affect non-immigrant visas such as those for tourism or business travel, which will continue to be processed.
The full list of nations affected by the move includes several countries with a range of political, economic, and security conditions.
These countries have been affected by immigrant visa processing:
Once again, fans for all but one nation seem to be safe from visa restrictions, as this list only covers those looking to secure immigration status to the US.
The only nation whose fans may face trouble is the Ivory Coast.
According to Fragomen, it was listed in January as a country whose non-immigrant visa issuance was suspended in the B, F, M, and J visa classifications, for temporary visitors, students, and exchange visitors.
For nationals of the other 19 countries, the new proclamation suspends immigrant visa issuance, as well as nonimmigrant visa issuance in only the B, F, M, and J visa classifications for temporary visitors, students, and exchange visitors.
In a positive move, the Trump administration confirmed that ticket-holding supporters from Algeria, Cape Verde, the Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Tunisia will be exempt from the requirement to post a visa deposit, from May this year.
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