UEFA countries have made a unanimous call when deciding if they should boycott the World Cup in protest at FIFA’s plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors. An emergency virtual meeting was held this week to discuss the matter.

FIFA want to form a new commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE), which will take responsibility for its major international competitions, such as the World Cup and the Club World Cup. They will maintain a majority stake of 51 per cent to ensure control, but will sell the remaining individual stakes to private investors.

Infantino is set to make millions from the plan, and has warned the national member associations of FIFA that their football programmes will miss out on as much as $40m (£30.1m) if they reject the proposal.

UEFA Countries Make FIFA Boycott Call

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

As reported by The Times, after an emergency virtual meeting, UEFA countries have all ‘unanimously in support of boycotting World Cup.’ They do so in protest at FIFA’s plan to sell stakes in the tournament to private investors.

European footballing body UEFA were among the first to strongly condemn Infantino’s plan. An immediate statement after the news broke read: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

A new statement published by UEFA on Thursday (July 30) explained the current stance:

UEFA added: “As a result of today’s discussion, 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 Boycott Would Be Catastrophic For FIFA

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

The decision was made after a crisis meeting. With all 55 UEFA nations backing the boycott, Infantino’s scheme will surely come to a swift halt. A seperate Sky News report notes ‘there has been fury’ within UEFA that FIFA head Infantino has been secretly working on partly selling off the money-making parts of the governing body to external investors.

It’s close to impossible to imagine a World Cup without UEFA teams competing. In the 21st century, Argentina (in 2022) are the only non-European nation to win the tournament. A total of 16 UEFA teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup, with Austria, Belgium, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Switzerland qualifying directly. The final four – Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, Sweden, and Turkiye – came through the play-offs.

In the aftermath of the 2026 World Cup, Infantino’s growing unpopularity has been much spoken about. Reports have even suggested that those within UEFA may look to put forward an alternative candidate for the next FIFA presidential elections.

Some UEFA federations, including Belgium and Poland, may back a move for PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, but he has no such ambition to stand for office. An alternative name is Legia Warsaw owner Dariusz Mioduski, who has been discussed by the Bosnian, Norwegian, Swedish, German and Spanish football federations.

UFC legend Jon Jones has made his feelings clear after former opponent Anthony Smith was arrested and charged with three felonies.

The 38-year-old was taken into custody in Sarpy County, Nebraska, on Monday in relation to charges of first-degree domestic assault, terroristic threats, and first-degree false imprisonment.

Smith was subsequently released after posting a $500,000 bond. However, under the terms of his bond, the veteran fighter must not have any contact with his wife until after his trial has concluded.

The Charges Against Anthony Smith

Details surrounding the case against Smith have now emerged via a prosecutor from the Sarpy County Attorney’s Office. They make for uncomfortable reading.

“It is alleged that on July 26, 2026, the defendant was involved in an altercation with his wife at a bar in Gretna, Neb, during which he reportedly threatened to kill her if she did not get into his vehicle and go home with him.

“He is further accused of grabbing and pushing her inside the vehicle. At one point, during the drive, she was able to exit the vehicle. The defendant allegedly continued making threats, demanding that she get back inside the vehicle.

“After arriving home, she again exited the vehicle. Investigators allege that the defendant attempted multiple times to use the vehicle to strike her. The defendant’s wife was able to get out of the way and avoid any physical harm.”

Jones, who defeated Smith via unanimous decision when they met for the light heavyweight title in March 2019 at UFC 235, is no stranger to legal issues himself. Among his various brushes with the law, the Alberquerque native was arrested on domestic violence charges in September 2021. These were resolved three months later as he accepted a plea deal in order to avoid jail time.

The former two-division UFC champion retired from the Octagon in June 2025, but has continued to tease a possible return to the cage, while insisting that he is now a changed man.

Jon Jones Reacts to Anthony Smith’s Arrest

Taking to social media in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Jones referenced the charges against Smith as he wrote on X:

“Your boy over here looking more and more like Gandhi these days.”

Smith is the latest UFC fighter to find himself in legal trouble. Last month, former UFC Lightweight Championship challenger Dustin Poirier hit the headlines after being arrested for public intoxication at a Georgia airport. Jones also addressed that matter on social media.

Asked by a fan for his direct reaction to Smith’s arrest, Jones stated: “I hope he prays. I know there’s no problem too big for Jesus. He can literally change any situation.”

Known as ‘Lionheart’, Smith retired from the UFC following his loss to Zhang Mingyang in April 2025, although he did return to MMA when he beat Chase Sherman on a Gamebred MMA show in April.

A former Premier League player, who was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison for sexual assault just last month, has secured a shock transfer to a top-flight club this week.

The player in question represented Wolves and Nottingham Forest’s first-team, while having also been part of Manchester City’s youth academy. In June, the 29-year-old was found guilty for the rape and assault of a young woman in August 2024. He has denied in court that the assault took place in his home in the Spanish town Betera and claimed that it was consensual.

He was also slapped with a 13-year restraining order that forbids him from going within 500 metres of his victim and has been ordered to pay more than £55,000 in damages. He has appealed the verdict.

Ex-Wolves & Forest Player Signs For Top-Flight Club After Prison Sentence

Rafa Mir via REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo

The prosecutor in Rafa Mir’s case has said he will not enter prison until the end of the appeal. Despite this, he was convicted of the crime, which brought his career at Sevilla in La Liga to an end.

He spent the last two seasons on loan away from the club at Valencia and Elche. His contract at Sevilla has since now been terminated, leaving him on the free agent market.

Despite that, the striker is now reportedly set to sign for Greek club Aris Thessaloniki, but there is a condition on him in order to live outside of Spain, according to The Sun. Mir has had to obtain permission from the Provincial Court of Valencia to approve his relocation for work.

He will have to sign in every month at the Spanish consulate in Thessaloniki. And, as Greece is a part of the EU, any non-compliance would lead to a European arrest warrant being invoked.

Rafa Mir’s Career So Far

Mir previously spent three seasons contracted to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. He only appeared twice in the league for the club and had a loan spell at then-Championship outfit Nottingham Forest.

The striker played four times for Wolves and 13 times for the Tricky Trees, but never scored a goal for either side. He has once found the net on English soil, which came for Sevilla in a 3-1 Champions League defeat to Man City in 2022. At Aris, he will now be team-mates with former Manchester City prospect and Watford midfielder Tom Dele Bashiru.

Representing Spain at youth level, he made 17 appearances across Under-21 and Under-23 sides, but is yet to make a single first-team cap for the World Cup winners, with his reputation making it unlikely he ever will.