Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney must set aside his role on FIFA's finance committee and make clear that Scotland stands with European nations prepared to boycott the 2030 World Cup over Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in FIFA's top competitions to private equity, according to commentary published on the issue.
UEFA's 54 member associations held discussions on the proposal, with the Czech Republic already having broken ranks to welcome Infantino's offer. The remaining nations, particularly the leading football powers, were urged to form a united front ahead of what was described as a bitter battle to protect the game.
Infantino's pitch includes payments of 30 million pounds per nation, with 15 million delivered immediately, for those who agree to the sell-off by a deadline of September 19. A FIFA Congress vote is scheduled for next March, and reports indicate only a simple majority is needed for the proposal to pass.
The financial incentive is seen as particularly potent among FIFA's 211-member federation, where smaller nations stand to gain access to funds they could not otherwise secure. Infantino has also floated expanding the next World Cup to a 64-team format, a move expected to attract votes from nations that would benefit from greater access and prize money.
The most effective counter, the argument goes, would be for major European nations to refuse to participate in the 2030 World Cup altogether. Six of the eight quarter-finalists at the most recent tournament in North America were European, making the threat of withdrawal a significant lever.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell, who holds a position on FIFA's Men's Football Stakeholders Committee and is fourth vice-chair of UEFA's National Teams Competitions Committee, was also cited as someone with influence who should take a stand.
Mulraney, who also serves as first vice-chairman of UEFA's legal committee, was pictured alongside Infantino during Scotland's match against Morocco at the World Cup. The call is for him to issue a clear public statement setting out Scotland's position, with his name attached to it.
