UEFA-Led Group Discusses Rival Tournaments in Challenge to FIFA
(Bloomberg) — Football organizations led by the European governing body UEFA have begun discussions over holding rival international tournaments to FIFA, according to people familiar with the matter.
The conversations between UEFA, north and central American federation Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation are at a preliminary stage, the people said, asking not to be named discussing private information.
Rival competitions are the latest challenge to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino after his failed plan to spin off FIFA’s commercial operations in a deal involving JPMorgan Chase & Co. They would threaten FIFA’s lucrative tournament circuit, which includes the World Cup that brought in over $9 billion during the 2026 edition, a record.
UEFA, whose members are home to the richest leagues in the world, has led the push to oust Infantino. Even after he shelved the plan to further monetize the game, the European body is still considering a boycott of the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments if Infantino remains president.
Spokespeople for UEFA and Concacaf declined to comment. A spokesperson for the AFC could not be reached for comment in time for publication.
The first major tournament that would be impacted by any boycott would be the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, although there are youth tournaments set to start in the coming months.
The early-stage discussions are considering competitions that would give players an opportunity to compete in international tournaments during any disruption, one of the people said.
The three federations demanded an independent review of Infantino’s World Cup proposal in an open letter on Monday. As president of the Switzerland-based FIFA, Infantino is required to act in the interests of the association.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC said in the letter.
FIFA consists of more than 200 national associations that are organized into six regional confederations. In addition to UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC, there is the Confederation of African Football, South American Football Confederation and Oceania Football Confederation.
The next FIFA presidential election will be held in March. Infantino plans to run for a third four-year term, which would be the last one he could serve.
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