World Cup Boycott Confirmed

Good morning football fans. It’s Friday, July 31 - Uefa nations confirm a World Cup boycott should Fifa sell part of the competition, the Premier League’s New Deal proposal will be presented to the English Football League, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.

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Uefa nations have agreed to boycott the World Cup if Fifa goes ahead with plans to sell off part of the tournament to private investors. The decision was made during a virtual meeting on Thursday of all 55 Uefa members and lasted just shy of two hours, with the unanimous verdict severely hampering Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s plans. The boycott would begin as early as the 2027 Women's World Cup, which will be hosted in Brazil.

"No Uefa national teams will participate in any Fifa ​competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that ​Fifa will never again open its governance or competitions to ​private ownership," Uefa said in a statement. "The World Cup cannot be treated as ‌an ⁠investment product. It is one of football’s greatest sporting legacies. It has been built over generations by players, national teams and supporters across every continent.” Read the statement in full here.

Uefa has invited other confederations to follow their lead. The 41 Concacaf nations, who met for an emergency meeting following Uefa’s verdict, also rejected Fifa’s proposal, saying in a statement that the membership “expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal.”

European football officials are considering Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser al-Khelaifi as a potential candidate in next year’s Fifa presidential election, per Politico. It was thought that Fifa president Gianni Infantino would run unopposed in March’s election, which under Fifa’s three-term limit would be his last, but his plans to privatise parts of the World Cup have prompted European officials to seek a challenger.

While rumours of al-Khelaifi’s support to succeed Infantino have circulated since the end of the World Cup, his representatives have consistently said the Qatari sports executive is not interested in the role. Speaking to French outlet RMC Sport, a source close to al-Khelaifi clarified his stance, stating that: "Nasser has absolutely no ambition, no intention, nor any interest in this role at Fifa. He will continue to quietly support all global and European football institutions."

Despite the controversy, Infantino’s support remains broad among member associations in Africa, South America and Asia. Prior to the announcement of Fifa’s plans to sell a stake in a new entity controlling the commercial rights to its competitions, Infantino had the formal endorsement of more than 200 of the 211 Fifa members for re-election. He’s now offering these members up to $40m if they support the proposal, a significant paycheck compared to the roughly $8m they are eligible for over a four-year cycle. But, as the story above shows, this incentive did not sway any of the smaller nations in Europe as many had thought it might.

Premier League clubs have approved a proposal to change the financial distribution in English football. The deal, which will reportedly see £1.5bn in additional funding from the top flight to the lower leagues over 10 years, will be presented to the English Football League (EFL). If the EFL agree to the deal, it will bring an end to three years of negotiations.

The new deal will be in addition to the £1.6bn already distributed to clubs over each three-year cycle, and will establish a £20m lifeboat fund for lower-league clubs facing administration. The Premier League will cover the extra cost by raising its transfer levy on all top-flight deals from 4% to 6%, meaning buying clubs will pay a larger additional charge whenever they sign a player.

While the EFL said it “looks forward” to receiving the proposal, sources have told The Guardian they feel the deal is very similar to the one mooted in 2023 but never approved by Premier League clubs. If both parties are unable to reach an agreement, the newly established Independent Football Regulator (IFR) has backstop powers to impose a deal.

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> John Stones has joined Serie A club Inter Milan on a free transfer (More) | Chelsea sign defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m (More); see every transfer in Europe’s top five leagues (More/live tracker)

> The former part-owner of Newcastle United, Amanda Staveley, is reportedly plotting to buy part or all of the 25.1% stake in Championship club West Ham United owned by the Gold family (More); listen to Staveley discuss her time in charge of Newcastle (More/podcast)

> Manchester City Women begin their Women’s Super League title defence at home against Birmingham City on September 6, two days after two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas is set to make her WSL debut for London City Lionesses against Manchester United in the season opener (More); who has the toughest start to the WSL season? (More)

> Around 93% of Lazio season ticket holders did not renew during the priority window as the boycott against the Serie A club’s ownership continues (More/Italian report)

> United States men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino is in the final stages of agreeing a new contract with US Soccer through the 2030 World Cup (More)

> Son Heung-min was named MVP after securing a brace in the MLS All-Star game, which saw the MLS win 4-3 over the Liga MX All-Star team (More); see upcoming MLS fixtures (More) and Conference Standings (More)

> Netflix is reportedly paying $200m for United States and Canada broadcast rights to the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil (More)

> Trinity Rodman scored her eighth goal of the NWSL season in Washington Spirit’s 1-0 victory over the Utah Royals (More); see upcoming NWSL fixtures (More) and Standings (More)

> FC Tulsa move into third place in the USL Championship Western Conference following a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh Riverhounds; see upcoming USL Championship fixtures (More) and Conference Standings (More)

> India’s national team will play Brazil in a friendly match in Kolkata on October 3, marking the highest-ranked opposition India has faced since the Fifa World Ranking was introduced in 1992 (More)

Yesterday’s Poll: Are you pleased with your team's transfer window activity?

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Your punditry takes:

Peruvian fourth-tier club innovates with shirt of 1,000 sponsors.

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A Premier League training season from the manager’s perspective. (video)

Borussia Dortmund unveil boldest third kit this season.

… and ranking the greatest kits in World Cup history.

Question: Mikel Arteta is currently the longest-serving Premier League manager with 2,415 days in charge. Who’s the second longest-serving manager in the league?

Scroll below for the answer.

Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.

Answer

Unai Emery, Aston Villa - 1,368 days.