Uefa to hold emergency meeting over Fifa World Cup plans

Uefa to hold emergency meeting over Fifa World Cup plansImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin will lead an emergency meeting of all 55 member associations on ThursdayBySimon StoneChief football news reporterPublished1 minute agoUefa will hold an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss its response to the controversial World Cup stakeholder plans proposed by Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino.European football's governing body kept up its offensive over the plans after it was discovered Fifa had sent a letter, seen by the BBC, to all 211 member associations giving them until 19 September to decide if they want to accept the deal, and with it the first $20m (£15.05m) of an initial $40m (£30m)."We have learned of Fifa's deadline to associations to support their proposals or have the one-off payout offer withdrawn," said Uefa.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."It was Uefa's second statement on the issue. The first claimed Fifa had "crossed a line".It is not known precisely what will be discussed at the meeting, which will be held virtually.Many associations, including the Football Association, are furious at only learning of the proposal to sell a 20% stake in Fifa competitions to private finance, led by the Thrive Eternal investment vehicle owned by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka.FA chairwoman Debbie Hewitt was among the Fifa vice-presidents not given advance warning. Uefa's unease has been echoed by the Asian, South American and North and Central American Confederations.Among Uefa's 55 members are three of the 2026 World Cup semi-finalists and it knows the nuclear option of its members pulling out of the tournament would severely damage the financial viability of the concept.That is very much viewed as the outer edge of what is possible, particularly as one Uefa member has said it is broadly in agr...