Uefa is poised 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.
The Guardian understands European teams are likely to be cleared for participation in the upcoming Under-20 Women’s World Cup, along with subsequent tournaments, after Fifa provided binding assurances that no equivalent of its president’s ill-fated scheme will be put on the table.
Backlash over Fifa Forward Enterprise
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threatened the boycott after Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal was revealed, and doubled down after it was withdrawn, saying the condition that “such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again” had not been met.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 in 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.
European teams cleared for tournaments
A decision to drop the boycott will allow 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 would be lifted. Portugal, Italy and the host nation are the other European countries due to compete.
While the boycott is yet to be publicly dropped, it is among the topics that may arise in a meeting of Uefa’s executive committee and federation chiefs 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 withdraws support for Infantino
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.
