UEFA celebrates "historic victory" after FIFA backtracks and cancels the sale of World Cup participation rights

UEFA celebrated with relief and satisfaction FIFA's decision to definitively shelve the plan that envisioned the commercialization of participation fees in its competitions – including the World Cup – to private investors. The controversial proposal, which generated a wave of criticism around the world, was unanimously rejected by UEFA's 55 national associations and dozens of other global federations and confederations.

In an official statement, the governing body of European football publicly thanked everyone who mobilized against the measure – from fans in the stands, professional leagues, clubs and players, to prime ministers and heads of state. According to UEFA, this wave of collective pressure sent a clear and unequivocal message to Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA: football is not for sale.

UEFA described the outcome as "a victory for sport and for the values ​​that make it universal," reaffirming that the integrity of competitions and the principle of sporting merit must prevail over any external economic interest. The cancellation of the plan is seen as a milestone in defending the associative model of European and world football.