Uefa will convene an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss its response to Fifa's controversial World Cup stakeholder plans. The meeting, led by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, will bring together all 55 member associations to decide their stance on the proposals.
Fifa has given its 211 member associations until September 19 to decide whether to accept the deal, which includes a one-off payout of $20m. This has been met with widespread condemnation, with many associations, including the Football Association, expressing their outrage. "We have learned of Fifa's deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn," said Uefa. "This says everything you need to know about this plan."
The plans, which aim to sell a 20% stake in Fifa competitions to private finance, have been widely criticized. Many associations feel that they have been kept in the dark about the proposals, with some only learning about them through the media. The Asian, South American, and North and Central American Confederations have also expressed their unease about the plans.
Fifa has defended its proposals, saying that they aim to provide funding for "better pitches, stronger national teams, more pathways for young players, and greater support for women's football." However, many have questioned the auditing of the money that Fifa already hands over to member associations. Despite this, Fifa president Gianni Infantino feels that the proposals would be a "golden opportunity to turbocharge the development of the game globally."
The European Leagues organisation has described Fifa's proposals as "a reckless and divisive development for world football." Global players' union Fifpro has also called on Fifa to "reconsider its proposal without further delay." La Liga president Javier Tebas has accused Infantino of trying to buy votes before the next Fifa congress in March.
The reaction to the proposals has been overwhelmingly negative, with many feeling that they are an attempt to buy votes and silence critics. Hans-Joachim Watzke, current vice-president of the German Football Association, has described Fifa's plans as an "absolute attack on football." If European football stands united against these plans, that carries a great deal of weight.
Uefa's emergency meeting on Thursday will be a crucial moment in the development of this story. The outcome of the meeting will determine the course of action for Uefa and its member associations. Will they stand united against Fifa's proposals, or will they accept the deal? The world will be watching as the situation unfolds.
Source: Yahoo Sports