Boycott of 2018 World Cup possible
Officials seek Sepp Blatter’s resignation, full release of report into bidding corruption
— “To boycott or not to boycott?” That is the question facing the Football Association since its former chairman called for England to withdraw from the next World Cup.
It may as well be asking itself: “To be or not to be?,” so suicidal could such a move prove for English soccer’s governing body.
Yet, amid all its calls for Sepp Blatter’s resignation and full disclosure of FIFA’s report into World Cup corruption, the FA has not publicly ruled out this nuclear option.
Despite all the potential financial sacrifices that it would entail, it is an option that may soon become viable. That is because the battle lines are being drawn in what threatens to be a bitter power struggle at the top of the world game.
Led by UEFA, FIFA’s European members, particularly England and Germany, are poised to challenge its supremacy. One source told Inside Sport it could “reshape football forever.”
The events of the past week have proven to be the final straw for the European game’s governing body, senior figures of which have “had enough” of their masters in Zurich.
From the $33.8 million splurged on Sepp Blatter’s vanity project, United Passions, to the suppression of Michael J. Garcia’s report into the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, UEFA has been left aghast by the conduct of FIFA in recent months.
While there will be no about-turn by Michel Platini in his decision not to challenge Blatter for the presidency of the world governing body — a vote the Swiss appears to have already sewn up — UEFA is close to anointing a credible candidate to oppose the 78-year-old.
The backing of that candidate — Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein has been mooted — would represent the first step in its bid to hold FIFA to account.
“It could get pretty explosive,” the UEFA source said of its plans in the run-up to the elections in May.
The next step could be even more provocative, with senior figures rumoured to be considering inviting countries from other confederations to play in competitive tournaments in Europe. That is against the backdrop of Blatter threatening to reduce the number of European places at the World Cup, something UEFA would use all of its influence to resist. There is no prospect of all 54 UEFA members threatening to boycott the tournament in this way, particularly as it is being held in Russia. But if England and Germany could enlist the support of a handful of other nations, that could be enough to hold FIFA to ransom.