Poland's football federation (PZPN) confirmed that preparations for the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup, scheduled for September 5-27, are proceeding on schedule despite ongoing tensions between UEFA and FIFA.
The tournament has become the first FIFA event to be affected by the wave of opposition to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, following a unanimous vote by UEFA's 55 member associations to boycott FIFA events. The dispute stems from Infantino's proposal to spin off World Cup commercial rights and sell 20% to private investors to raise around $4.2 billion, a plan that was later abandoned.
In a statement to Reuters, PZPN said: "Preparations for the tournament are progressing according to plan and entering the final phase. PZPN has not received any information about any team withdrawing. We believe the current situation will be resolved soon. For many young players, this tournament is a key milestone in their careers, and we are focused on delivering an event worthy of their talent."
New Zealand and France have confirmed their participation in the 24-team tournament. A spokesperson for New Zealand Football said: "We will send a team to the FIFA U20 World Cup in Poland next month. The tournament is crucial for the development of women's football."
Meanwhile, the English FA and the Canadian Soccer Association have not commented, while the U.S. Soccer Federation declined to respond but is expected to participate.
UEFA escalated its boycott threat last week, stating: "UEFA member associations are very clear about the conditions regarding non-participation in FIFA events. These conditions have not been met. UEFA has lost confidence in the presidency of Gianni Infantino. That position remains."
A source familiar with discussions among regional associations over the weekend said the possibility of organizing alternative tournaments was mentioned if needed, but hopes that won't happen. Women's football may be the first area to suffer heavily if the dispute escalates.
The U17 Women's World Cup is scheduled for October in Morocco, and European teams, including England, the World Cup runner-up, have scheduled qualification matches for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
