Key Takeaways
- FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup has sparked strong opposition.
- UEFA and its member associations voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments in protest.
- Critics label the plan as anti-democratic and driven by external financial interests.
Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness warned that FIFA’s proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup has created a 'very serious situation' for football, both domestically and internationally.
Klaveness stated, ‘This is a very serious situation for Norwegian and international football. It is very dramatic,’ during an interview with reporters after UEFA member associations raised objections in a meeting.
UEFA and its 55 member nations voted on Thursday to boycott all FIFA tournaments as a protest against the global governing body’s plan to create a $20-billion subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would run the World Cup and other events. A stake of up to 20% could be offered to external investors.
Klaveness praised UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin for his handling of the situation, noting that he showed ‘refreshingly clear leadership’ and was firm in stating that this is not a democratic process.
She added, 'Bringing external owners into football’s core business is an alien element, and it should remain an alien element.'
Klaveness expressed surprise at the lack of prior communication regarding the proposal. She said, ‘We had heard nothing about this; it turned out that very few had. This created major friction, with a huge volume of calls and movement across the whole football world.’
The Norwegian leader also criticized FIFA President Gianni Infantino, stating, 'My clear impression now is that he has lost a great deal of trust.' Klaveness mentioned that they did not vote for him last time and have been skeptical about his governance principles.
Klaveness concluded by emphasizing the importance of football being owned by its members and run democratically. She stated, ‘We want to see a project where we can be part of the decision-making process.’
This is a very serious situation for Norwegian and international football. It is very dramatic.
Lise Klaveness, Norwegian Football Federation president
'Bringing external owners into football’s core business is an alien element, and it should remain an alien element.'
Lise Klaveness, Norwegian Football Federation president
My clear impression now is that he has lost a great deal of trust.
Lise Klaveness, Norwegian Football Federation president
