Uefa is to drop its threatened boycott of Fifa competitions after receiving concrete guarantees that the global governing body will never attempt a repeat of Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.
European teams have been cleared for participation in the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup, along with subsequent tournaments, after Fifa provided the binding assurances that no equivalent of its president’s ill-fated scheme will be put on the table.
Uefa had threatened the boycott after Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal was revealed and doubled down after it was withdrawn, saying the condition that “such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again” had not been met.
Despite exchanging barbs in public, Uefa and Fifa are understood to have been having private discussions over the terms of removing the boycott threat for several weeks, with the European governing body finally getting the reassurances it required.
When Fifa confirmed its decision to abandon FFE four days after it became public it neglected to pledge that a similar privatisation plan would not be repeated, but it has now done so in private correspondence.
The decision to drop the boycott allows England, who named their squad for the under-20 tournament last week, to travel to Poland in time for the opening game against Canada on 5 September. France and Spain had also listed their travelling party in anticipation that the boycott threat would be lifted. Portugal, Italy and the host nation are the other European countries due to compete.
Fifa welcomed the end of the boycott, saying: “Fifa is pleased that all qualified teams will be participating in the upcoming Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Fifa strongly believes that football has the power to unite, even in challenging circumstances, and looks forward to welcoming all teams and players to Poland.”
The boycott is yet to be publicly dropped by Uefa, whose executive committee and federation chiefs meet in Monte Carlo on Thursday. The 55 heads of Uefa’s member associations will convene before the Champions League draw during what is traditionally a significant few days in the European football calendar.
Uefa’s position that Infantino must be replaced has not changed and further steps regarding its stance towards the Fifa leadership will also be discussed at the meeting.
Italy’s football federation (FIGC) on Wednesday became the latest to publicly withdraw support for Infantino. “This decision is intended to clearly and transparently express the FIGC’s position … regarding the recent initiatives promoted by the Fifa president concerning the governance and development of international competitions,” it said.
There will be relief in some quarters that younger players, in particular, will not become embroiled in the volatile battle for football’s future. But the fact that Fifa has been forced to mitigate for its president’s actions is another humiliation for a persistently scandal-hit organisation.
