Football Federation of Armenia Backs UEFA: “The World Cup Is Not for Sale”

The Football Federation of Armenia has joined an official statement issued by the Union of European Football Associations opposing the possible transfer of ownership interests in the FIFA World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors.

UEFA stressed that the organisation and all 55 of its member associations have adopted a united position. European football federations have unequivocally rejected a proposal that could give external investors an ownership stake in the world’s leading international football competitions.

UEFA: The World Cup Is a Legacy of Global Football

The statement emphasises that the World Cup cannot be treated as an ordinary commercial asset or investment product.

According to UEFA, the most important tournament for national teams has been built over generations by players, coaches, national sides and millions of supporters across every continent. The right to determine its future must therefore not be transferred to private entities whose primary objective is to generate financial returns.

“The World Cup is not for sale,” the European football governing body said in its statement.

The Football Federation of Armenia supported this position by joining the collective statement of UEFA’s member associations.

FIFA Criticised for a Lack of Open Consultation

UEFA also expressed concern over the process through which the initiative was prepared. The European governing body said that a proposal of such significance had been developed without meaningful and transparent consultation with national federations, leagues, clubs, players and other representatives of the football community.

UEFA believes that decisions capable of affecting the entire structure of world football cannot be made without the participation of the organisations responsible for developing and protecting the game at national and international levels.

The European side also described the situation as an attempt to pressure national associations by forcing them to choose between approving the proposal and facing possible consequences for rejecting it.

Why the Involvement of Investors Concerns UEFA

According to UEFA, the main risk is that once private owners become involved, commercial performance could become the decisive factor behind sporting decisions.

Such a model could affect:

• the international match calendar;
• the formats of the World Cup and other competitions;
• the number of participating teams;
• the distribution of commercial revenue;
• the interests of national federations, clubs and players;
• the accessibility of football for supporters.

UEFA fears that under such a system, the development of the game would no longer be the main priority. Instead, decisions could be driven by the need to maximise returns for shareholders and investors.

“Football cannot mortgage its future for financial gain,” the statement underlines.

UEFA National Teams Could Withdraw from FIFA Competitions

UEFA announced that European national teams would not participate in FIFA competitions for as long as the proposal remained under consideration.

Participation could resume only if the initiative were abandoned in full and binding assurances were provided that FIFA would never again consider opening its competitions or governance structures to private ownership.

The position of the Football Federation of Armenia therefore corresponds with the unified stance adopted by all national associations belonging to UEFA.

Europe Is Determined to Defend the Future of World Football

In the concluding section of its statement, UEFA said it was prepared to firmly oppose any plans that could lead to the privatisation of the world’s biggest international football competitions.

The organisation considers the current situation a defining moment for the entire football system. National federations must decide whether they are prepared to allow the fundamental principles of sports governance to be changed.

“The FIFA World Cup belongs to football. And as long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale,” reads the UEFA statement supported by the Football Federation of Armenia.