- Claudius Schafer said that after the review of the FIFA plan to sell match rights in their entirety, the European leagues are not planning to accept the decision.
- European leagues intend to counter the FIFA plan with a united front, regardless of the outcome of the UEFA and CONCACAF vote.
- According to information provided, FIFA has been planning since the review to sell match rights in their entirety, while UEFA and CONCACAF have voted to split them.
Goals of the European professional football leagues Claudius Schafer said that, following FIFA’s decision, the German footballer believes that it is unacceptable to sell match rights in their entirety. “In my view, it is not about whether the plan is good or bad, but about whether it is fair,” he said, adding that the plan would limit the ability of leagues to negotiate.
Schafer said that, as he sees it, FIFA’s key goal is not to make the game better, but rather to profit from it. “We are convinced that FIFA will not stop at this step,” he added. He also noted that it is not yet clear how the plan will be implemented in practice.
The material also points out that, according to the following: FIFA’s plan to sell match rights in full. UEFA and CONCACAF, on the other hand, have argued that the rights should be divided between different parties.
According to Schafer, the European leagues have already taken a position against such a plan, only because it would allow FIFA to control the market for broadcasting and sponsorship rights. He also said that, in his view, FIFA Council members will have to decide whether to support the plan.
Tags: Sport, Football
Sources:
https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2026/8/2/fifa-boss-infantinos-position-looks-unacceptable-head-of-european-league
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/gianni-infantino-fifa-latest-world-cup-b3025997.html