Football is not for sale! UEFA stands against Infantino after FIFA's controversial plan

The conflict between UEFA and FIFA has escalated to an entirely new level.

Details: UEFA released a hard-hitting statement following a report by The Times about FIFA President Gianni Infantino's intention to bring in private investors and sell them a stake in a commercial entity linked to the World Cup.

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The European governing body stressed that football authorities must never cross such a line, urging national associations, leagues, clubs, players, fans, and governments to take the situation with the utmost seriousness.

UEFA was particularly outraged by the lack of transparency regarding exactly who would benefit financially from the potential deal.

"The soul and governance of football are not assets to be traded, especially in the complete absence of transparency about who stands to profit. None of us owns football. FIFA cannot sell it," UEFA's statement reads.

FIFA, for its part, insists that potential investors would only be offered minority, non-controlling stakes, while all decisions regarding tournaments, scheduling, and football governance would remain under its authority. The new structure is valued at around $20 billion, with the sale of a stake potentially bringing in up to $4.2 billion.

Reminder: A rift in world football! UEFA president boycotted the World Cup final over FIFA's controversial decision.