FIFA selling out? Would you boycott the WC?

[Huxley]

Has Infantino lost his mind? reported he is selling a stake in FIFA to corporates including potentially the orange one and family to generate 4.2b USD...  Will it lead to say Nike ensuring that CR07 has his ban rescinded in order to play the opening games of the or special treatment to a nation that has a vested interest in that nation progressing?? Or an extra long time for a show and hydration breaks to sell sponsorship.. i mean it already is happening without the global giant corporates having a say. Sadly Infantino has the backing of a majority of nations so cannot be voted out.

Would you boycott watching the WC if the European nations (ie UEFA broke away) were not there?

[Volz]

I watched this year merely because it had been decades since Norway qualified.
It was largely great despite FIFA.

Already boycotted the tournaments in Quatar and Russia and i will easily throw all my interest for anything World Cup in the bin forever if the end goal is to change the entire sport into a series of extended ad spots and get live performances in for all half time events.
It will no longer be football as we know it but an iteration called "FIFA-BALL" which is solely focused on top returns and the "football" is just one tiny part of the full package.

[cookieg]

I wouldn't be surprised if Europe gets excluded from hosting the WC in the future and it goes between the US and Asia where the money is.

[Angus Telford]

Yes

[Carborundum]

I've got no intention of going to a World Cup, so in one sense I'm boycotting it.  But five or six weeks of competitive football in the summer, free to air on TV, well that's one of life's pleasures. Can't imagine doing anything other than diving right in.

[JimmyConway]

I wouldn't be surprised if Europe gets excluded from hosting the WC in the future and it goes between the US and Asia where the money is.

Still firmly believe the power of world football remains in Europe. Whether we get to the stage that it becomes solidarity between the European nation's difficult to say but those big sponsorship deals FIFA get for world cups would unlikely happen if the likes of France Spain Germany England Holland etc are not there. FIFA will try to avoid a split by greasing palms as they would not be so stubborn to try and force a ban on the top European countries knowing it would lead to likely permanent split. Does seem to have a feel that it's the start of the end for Infantino though he'll probably leave kicking & screaming? Watch out for The whistleblowers as they see the bigger picture!

[Twig]

Yep

[sunburywhite]

Nobody is going to boycott it and thats what they count on

We are getting mugged off

[fancyfeet4]

Sports-washing works unfortunately and FIFA knows this.

Every Olympics and World Cup is marred by controversy but once the event starts it mostly goes away and people enjoy the event. This World Cup exceeded all expectations as the 48 team tournament didnt hurt the competition. I am American and was worried about ticket sales and general enthusiasm for the event, but the event was better than almost anyone expected.

FIFA is so corrupt and awful, but they know its nearly impossible to take them down and they are going to keep pushing things knowing there is money to be made. They are seeing that money is out there and with almost no true oversight, they are going to keep pushing for profits.

[The Little Dave]

Generate millions upon millions of dollars for country federations to grow the sport and opportunity to play football in their regions. Corruption under Infantino is at an all time low compared to precious regimes.

I don't care that some nobody screaming sportswashing but spends their waking moments on a football forum and contributes the the problem disagrees with it.

Moreover, UEFA is posturing because it can. It's the strongest regional body by far. But when push comes to shove they'd never do something as crazy as what OP states they might.

[Holders]

The FA needs to stick with UEFA. Stronger together.

[hopper]

Infantino has crossed so many red lines, and is the most hideous, self-serving, duplicitous kind of man one can find.

He almost impresses me in finding ways that he can become more loathsome by the day. It's truly damning on the wider football authorities that it's got this far, and it feels like a massive moment to stand up - much like with the super league.

He has done and is doing so much damage. Beyond ripping up the rulebook to suit Trump and whatever brings money, he is responsible for completely bloating the football calendar. Infantino increased Euros from 16 to 24 teams, introduced the Nations League, created the bloody Club World Cup, and increased the World Cup to 48 teams, now wants to make it 64 teams.

This is all the product of a wider world view that money can buy literally anything, and govern all things. Principles, equality, fairness, purpose are decaying in the face of monstrous greed.

[Super Mick]

State of the world we're in now.  Greed greed greed.

[Fulham Tup North]

State of the world we're in now.  Greed greed greed.

...and at the end of the day, people complain about the players and how they are forced to play so many games, yet if they turned around and said no, there would be no football....
It's a complete farce...

[DadCreature]

This is the bad side of democracy (and I really love democracy).  1 country 1 vote is amazing.  But there have been what, 8 WC winners ever?   And Uruguay doesn't really count.  At all times there's really only above 6 countries that can win.   So many countries can't win, can't even reasonable make the finals.  So what else do they get?   Money.  That's it.  Nothing else.   

I think UEFA should pull out of FIFA.   I think, in 2 years, US, Canada and Mexico would join (we get railroaded by CONCACAF votes).  I think COMEBAL would likely join.   Form a new league.  It would not be the "World" but it would take the corporate sponsors and FIFA would collapse. 

[Jim©]

Corruption under Infantino is at an all time low compared to precious regimes.

[bobbo]

I won't live long enough but would def boycott it when America get it again.

[bog]

Yes.

I found it easy to avoid watching that rubbish World Club Championship.

[Surlyc]

This is the bad side of democracy (and I really love democracy).  1 country 1 vote is amazing. 

I appreciate the sentiment, but 1 country 1 vote is absolutely open to this huge corruption.

UEFA is no bastion of democracy, but they are the only real opposition to Infantino's money shower. I hope they break from FIFA, but I can't see it ever happening.

[Snibbo]

Rampant capitalism eventually enshittifies everything. FIFA is totally corrupt. Everything is for sale to the highest bidder.