Europe's Nations Refuse to Play World Cup

UEFA, the body that runs football in Europe, said on Thursday that its 55 member countries will not play in any FIFA competition. FIFA (the International Federation of Association Football) organises the World Cup. The European countries will only return if FIFA drops a plan to sell parts of the World Cup to private investors. Under the plan, a new company would control the business side of FIFA's tournaments and raise about 3.1 billion pounds. Every one of the 55 European members signed the statement. Concacaf, the football body for North and Central America, also rejected the plan with its 41 members, but it did not threaten to leave.

FIFA says it would still make every important decision. Europe does not accept this. It says that once investors own part of the competition, money will always come first. European officials are also angry because FIFA did not ask them first. FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave all 211 members until 19 September to decide.

Infantino needs 106 countries to agree, and about 90 are already against him. Europe used the same threat in 2021, and FIFA dropped its plan then. A women's Under-20 World Cup starts in Poland in September with six European teams.