UEFA Discussing Boycotting the FIFA World Cup

[Jattdogg]

28 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Ryan Reynolds must get really pissed off with everyone thinking he’s American.

He sold his soul and became a dual citizen, so he is American.

 

As a Canadian citizen, I can't fathom ever wanting to be a yank. To be fair, he is in Hollywood, married to a yank and still loves Canada deeply so gets some sort of a pass. 

 

 

[st albans fox]

Of course fifa can back down on the basis that they get uefa agreement on a 64 team expanded tournament……..

 

art of the deal 😉

[Jattdogg]

6 minutes ago, ramboacdc said:

Even without UEFA, Infantino has enough votes to be re elected president, so it is a good move to do this, but there's a chance it backfires and the show goes on without UEFA

Worldcup without UEFA will be disastrous. European governments should go further and ban the world cup from being broadcast in Europe.

 

Concacaf isnt happy but their statement wasnt going for the jugular.

 

https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/concacaf/news/concacaf-statement-regarding-the-proposed-fifa-forward-enterprise

 

Would have hoped (outside the us federation) that they would have been more against it.

 

 

[RoboFox]

You know things are bad when you're rooting for UEFA. 

 

Infantino is a ****ing ghoul. 

 

It's time FIFA was killed off once and for all. 

[Innovindil]

12 minutes ago, ramboacdc said:

Even without UEFA, Infantino has enough votes to be re elected president, so it is a good move to do this, but there's a chance it backfires and the show goes on without UEFA

The show without UEFA would be the shittest world cup in history. Can't expect many people to give a crap about the cup with a MASSIVE asterisk next to it.

[RowlattsFox]

Cynic in me says its pretty easy to boycott something that is 4 years away. But it's a good show if intention even if I don't necessarily believe they would go through with it.

[Sampson]

Didn't thing UEFA would have the balls, but glad they di this statement.

 

Glad we're finally standing up against the Americanisation and American tycoon capitalism-isation of European culture for a change.

Edited 30 July by Sampson

[Corky]

50 minutes ago, ramboacdc said:

Looks like they went for it instead of accepting. 

 

BBC News - Uefa to boycott World Cup if Fifa plans go through

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5y67zrrdddo

Very surprised. Hopefully will be the end of this shambles.

[Izzy]

30 minutes ago, Jattdogg said:

He sold his soul and became a dual citizen, so he is American.

 

As a Canadian citizen, I can't fathom ever wanting to be a yank. To be fair, he is in Hollywood, married to a yank and still loves Canada deeply so gets some sort of a pass. 

 

I read he only took dual citizenship so he could help vote Trump out which gives him even more of a pass in my book. 

[SouthStandUpperTier]

34 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Cynic in me says its pretty easy to boycott something that is 4 years away.

Women's World Cup is next year. That will be the first test of their resolve.

[davieG]

[davieG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c5y67zrrdddo

 

Analysis: This is as big as European Super League

By

Simon Stone

Chief football news reporter

There is no doubt in my mind this story equals that of the European Super League in being the biggest football has had to deal with.

Transfers are huge, but ESL and now this go to the very heart of what makes football the game it is and the structures that underpin it.

The logical conclusion to the involvement of private investment in Fifa competitions is that, eventually, they will be expanded, both in terms of size and frequency. That squeeze on the calendar would be felt all the way down the pyramids domestically and affect the structure of the game in every single country.

Uefa, which has been criticised itself for expanding its club competitions, knows it has the power to stop the Fifa plan.

A World Cup without European teams would rob it of three out of four semi-finalists from this summer's competition and six of the eight quarter-finalists. Three of the four semi-finalists in the last Women's World Cup were European. Three of the four semi-finalists in last year's Club World Cup were European.

If there are no European participants it is impossible to imagine Fifa generating the amount of revenue commercially needed to pay the sums it is offering.

It cannot be overstated how huge this story is.

[Sly]

This could actually be the end of FIFA as well. 

[Sly]

This could be the end of FIFA, much like when when the darts split. 

[purpleronnie]

Nah FIFA ain't going anywhere.

[Zear0]

18 minutes ago, Sly said:

This could actually be the end of FIFA as well. 

 

17 minutes ago, Sly said:

This could be the end of FIFA, much like when when the darts split. 

Can say that again

[foxile5]

The battle for the soul of football is over. We're just arguing over the territory lines.

 

 

[Jattdogg]

3 hours ago, Izzy said:

I read he only took dual citizenship so he could help vote Trump out which gives him even more of a pass in my book. 

Then why hasn't he renounced it yet? Can't run again.. reality is, it makes his life easier as he will likely spend alot of his time south of the border. Anyhow, im not really bothered, a lot of celebrities get their US citizenship for making life easier.

 

Anyhow, I would LOVE to see FIFA disbanded but that wont happen will it?

[Corky]

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

 

Can say that again

Wayne Mardle to run the breakaway group

[ramboacdc]

Not a boycott, but a rejection.

 

 

https://www.concacaf.com/competitions/concacaf/news/statement-on-behalf-of-concacaf-and-its-41-member-associations

 

Statement on behalf of Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations 

 

 

Concacaf is a confederation united by the love of our game, where football comes first. Guided by this philosophy over the past ten years we have built, from the ground up, an organization founded on service, transparent governance, and the long-term stewardship of football.

 

History has shown FIFA and the football family what happens when the custodians of the game lose sight of these values.

 

With this in mind, Concacaf today convened a meeting of the presidents of its 41 Member Associations, together with its President, Council members, and its FIFA Council members, to discuss a proposal developed and presented by the FIFA President to establish ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’ and sell interests in the FIFA World Cup to private investors.

 

During the meeting, the membership expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies. In addition, the need for private equity investment to fund new and existing FIFA Forward programs following the most profitable FIFA World Cup in history was questioned.

 

The discussion reinforced the need for greater transparency and proper governance.

 

For these reasons, Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations have:

 

Rejected the proposal;

Tasked their FIFA Council Members with engaging FIFA to determine how existing vast FIFA reserves could be used to increase FIFA Forward funding for football development across our region; and

Tasked their FIFA Council Members with instructing the FIFA President to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA Council, in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.

Through these actions, Concacaf reaffirms that football's future—and its greatest asset—must remain in the hands of our football family.

 

[davieG]

25 minutes ago, ramboacdc said:

Through these actions, Concacaf reaffirms that football's future—and its greatest asset—must remain in the hands of our football family.

That sounds like a rejection.

[RoboFox]

This really is end stage capitalism isn’t it? Everything is for sale. The most American thing.

 

Infantino views himself as a world leader equal to Presidents and Prime Ministers. This is straight from the Trump playbook: rinse the very institution you're elected to lead for everything that it’s worth. It’s no surprise he’s right at the heart of it.

[CosbehFox]

6 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

Cynic in me says its pretty easy to boycott something that is 4 years away. But it's a good show if intention even if I don't necessarily believe they would go through with it.

The boycott is for all tournaments which would include the Women’s World Cup within a year 

[theessexfox]

I didn’t have any idea that the World Cup was a theoretically sellable entity, I still don’t really know what it would mean to sell it but glad he’s being told to **** off, any commercial value and sponsorship etc would be diminished to very little without European teams. 

[Sly]

4 hours ago, theessexfox said:

I didn’t have any idea that the World Cup was a theoretically sellable entity, I still don’t really know what it would mean to sell it but glad he’s being told to **** off, any commercial value and sponsorship etc would be diminished to very little without European teams. 

You sit down at 7 p.m. for England versus Argentina in the 2042 FIFA World Cup Experience™, only to discover that kick-off has been moved to 3:17 a.m. UK time to maximise viewing figures in twelve different countries. Got to maximise the sponsorship foot fall opportunity. 
 

The teams emerge from the tunnel through a cloud of dry ice as the stadium announcer welcomes everyone to “the Qatar Airways FIFA World Cup, powered by Apple, presented by Coca-Cola and brought to you in association with Burger King”.
 

The national anthems are short to thirty seconds to make room for a surprise performance by a holographic Ed Sheeran riding a sponsored drone by Tesla.

 

The referee, now officially known as the “Senior Match Experience Facilitator”, blows his whistle to begin the opening quarter of the FIFA World Cup Final, sponsored by . Before the ball has even crossed the halfway line, viewers are informed that England have activated their “Power Play”, courtesy of eBay, allowing them to receive double loyalty points on shots from outside the box.

 

Five minutes in, England wins a free kick. Play stops for the “Pepsi Precision Set-Piece Experience”, during which viewers at home vote on whether the wall should move back another yard for £1.99 per vote. The referee checks his watch on an official Rolex, naturally, before consulting VAR, now located in a luxury suite in Dubai sponsored by Emirates Business Class.

 

In the twelfth minute, play stops for the first “Fan Engagement Break”. Spectators in the stadium wave their phones in the air to vote on which team gets the next throw-in, while viewers at home can pay £3.99 to unlock the tactical camera or £14.99 for the ad-free package, which still contains adverts, just with softer music.

 

As the match enters the second quarter, giant drones deliver burgers to the corporate boxes while commentators discuss the latest transfer rumours, stock prices and cryptocurrency movements. Football is mentioned briefly.

 

England win a corner, but before it can be taken, the “Official Corner Partner” presents a sixty-second video package celebrating “the history of corners”. The player eventually takes it somewhere into row Z, immediately triggering the “FedEx Ball Recovery Team” to sprint into the crowd.

 

At half-time, the score is 0-0, but the entertainment is just beginning. Fans in the stadium participate in the “Crypto.com Crossbar Challenge”, while subscribers to FIFA Ultimate Platinum Plus can unlock exclusive dressing-room footage, biometric data and the players’ resting heart rates. Those on the standard package are instead treated to thirty-seven consecutive adverts and a twenty-minute interview with Gianni Infantino emerges from beneath the pitch on a hydraulic platform to announce that the next World Cup will contain ninety-six teams and be hosted simultaneously on Earth and the Moon, explaining why football has “never been more accessible”.

 

The second half begins after the mandatory Amazon Prime Tactical Timeout and the KFC Family Bucket Hydration Break. Every pass is accompanied by a graphic showing its sponsor, while missed shots trigger instant betting odds from seventeen different bookmakers. A commentator excitedly announces, “And that’s England’s first Visa VisaCard Mastercard Mastercard attacking sequence of the evening!”

 

The goalkeeper’s gloves now contain advertising space, and every completed pass earns supporters reward points redeemable against airport parking.

 

A defender goes down injured. Medical staff rush on, followed closely by the official documentary crew, two influencers and a man selling commemorative bandages for £24.99. Replays are delayed while betting markets stabilise.

 

As fatigue sets in, teams take advantage of the “Tactical Hydration and Consumer Reflection Interval”, during which supporters are encouraged to scan a QR code to buy the exact isotonic drink being consumed by the Argentine left-back.

 

The final quarter begins with the score still level, although England lead 18-14 on commercial revenue generated. The stadium lights dim dramatically as the announcer declares: “Welcome to the final moments of regulation football, brought to you by Netflix.”

 

 

In the eighty-ninth minute, England score the winner. The celebrations are briefly delayed while the goal undergoes a three-stage commercial review process: first by VAR, then by the official betting partner and finally by a panel of social-media influencers. The goal is eventually awarded, triggering fireworks, confetti cannons and an on-screen offer: “Text GOAL to 88888 to receive 10% off your next Uber Eats order.”

 

3 minutes after the final whilst, the pay-per-view stream ends abruptly, informing you that access to the trophy presentation requires the FIFA Ultimate Diamond package for just £79.99.

 

For those still watching …..

 

The captain lifts the trophy, a giant screen descends from the roof displaying a forty-two-minute montage of sponsors. The trophy itself has been renamed the “FIFA MetaSphere Global Synergy Cup”. The players queue to kiss it, although those without Premium Membership can only touch the base.

 

The broadcast finally ends at 6:45 a.m., after the presentation of the “Official Toothpaste Smile of the Tournament”, the “TikTok Dance of the Final” and the “McDonald’s Most Marketable Child Mascot Award”.

 

Exhausted, you turn off the television and realise that, despite watching for almost ten hours, there was actually only thirty three minutes of football played.