World Cup and European leagues

[Ron Boerger]

In other news, big, big storm cloud over FIFA and UEFA breaking up. Guessing UEFA isn't getting a huge cut. https://nypost.com/2026/07/30/business/uefa-to-boycott-world-cup-over-20b-kushner-linked-fifa-deal-sources/

Very troubling since the women's WC is next summer. UEFA is obv. throwing its big weight around.

Given that private equity destroys basically everything it touches in order to transfer wealth from whatever it acquires to itself, I can't blame UEFA at all. 

[jknezek]

This plan should be DOA. But the one member one vote nature of FIFAis going to make that cash grab real attractive to a lot of small, never going to be competitive, countries.

[Ron Boerger]

UEFA has indeed voted to boycott "all FIFA competitions including the World Cup" (ESPN.com) as long as this proposal is on the table or implemented.

Further, per ESPN.com, Concacaf's 41-member nations are also set to have an emergency meeting on Thursday.

[Ron Boerger]

The ESPN story linked above has been updated with Concacaf's decision:  "Following its own meeting later in the day, the 41-member Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football said it had also rejected the proposal.

Concacaf members include 2026 World Cup hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico. The U.S. Soccer Federation wrote on social media that it "stands with Concacaf and its members." " 

Concacaf's statement, however, does not go as far as UEFA's, saying nothing about a boycott of FIFA events, and instead "tasked" their "FIFA Council Members" to engage FIFA and to instruct "the FIFA President to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes."

[Gray Fox]

The ESPN story linked above has been updated with Concacaf's decision:  "Following its own meeting later in the day, the 41-member Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football said it had also rejected the proposal.

Concacaf members include 2026 World Cup hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico. The U.S. Soccer Federation wrote on social media that it "stands with Concacaf and its members." " 

Concacaf's statement, however, does not go as far as UEFA's, saying nothing about a boycott of FIFA events, and instead "tasked" their "FIFA Council Members" to engage FIFA and to instruct "the FIFA President to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes."

Will any of this affect who will be the coach of the national team?

[jknezek]

The ESPN story linked above has been updated with Concacaf's decision:  "Following its own meeting later in the day, the 41-member Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football said it had also rejected the proposal.

Concacaf members include 2026 World Cup hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico. The U.S. Soccer Federation wrote on social media that it "stands with Concacaf and its members." " 

Concacaf's statement, however, does not go as far as UEFA's, saying nothing about a boycott of FIFA events, and instead "tasked" their "FIFA Council Members" to engage FIFA and to instruct "the FIFA President to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes."

Will any of this affect who will be the coach of the national team?

Doubtful. Having an Xtra $10million might help pay more, but I.S. Soccer can find the money to hire if they want to. Poch proved that.

[jknezek]

Well between UEFA, CONCACAF and ASEAN, there are enough votes to kill this idea. However, given how corrupt FIFA is at all times, I think it's unlikely that the votes are definitely there. CAF will likely be in favor of any money they can get, as will the Oceanic nations. That leaves South America, and for the the three that have already disavowed the idea to keep their smaller and poorer nations onside. Frankly I'm surprised both CONCACAF and ASEAN came out so strongly against it. There are a lot of smaller nations in both regions where an extra $10-12MM would be a big deal.

Finally, the proposal isn't quite as odious as I first thought. I think, if it passes, the private equity influence would slowly creep larger until it becomes as odious as I feared, but to start with, the deal is very similar to those cut by the University of Utah, the New Zealand All Blacks, and even Spanish soccer's first division. Selling a minority stake in a separate media rights company, if you can firewall it to just that area, isn't really selling out the game. I just doubt the firewall would hold.