European football's governing body, UEFA, is expected to formally withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that FIFA President Gianni Infantino's failed plan to sell World Cup shares will not be revived.
According to a source familiar with the proposal, UEFA's member associations will meet on Thursday in Monaco before the Champions League draw, where they are expected to end the boycott threat. The source requested anonymity because the agenda of the closed-door meeting is confidential.
Removing the possibility of a boycott will allow six European teams to continue their preparations for the U-20 Women's World Cup, which kicks off on September 5 in Poland. France and Spain announced their squads last week for the 24-team tournament, which had risked becoming an unintended battleground in European football's opposition to Infantino's private investment plan. England, Italy, Portugal, and hosts Poland will also compete, alongside the United States, Brazil, and Argentina.
FIFA welcomed UEFA's update in a statement, emphasizing that the organization “strongly believes that football has the power to unite, even in difficult circumstances, and looks forward to welcoming all teams and players in Poland.”
Infantino angered global football leaders last month when a plan to establish a $20 billion subsidiary controlling FIFA's commercial rights – including the World Cup – was revealed by The Times of London. The company was expected to be owned 20% by investors led by a New York fund of Joshua Kushner, with the initial funds used to pay $20 million to each of FIFA's 211 member associations. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump. FIFA member associations were set a mid-September deadline to accept.
FIFA President Infantino withdrew the proposal within four days following a backlash led by UEFA, including the boycott threat, with support from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). The outrage was further fueled by criticism from senior FIFA officials over the plan and over Infantino.
UEFA subsequently stated it wanted to receive assurances that the subsidiary, expected to be named FIFA Forward Enterprise, would not be presented in another form. The source said that assurance has been received.
UEFA declared on August 1 that it had no confidence in Infantino's leadership, a clear signal that it would seek to block his re-election in March next year. FIFA's next matches in Europe after the U-20 tournament are the playoff qualifiers for the 2027 Women's World Cup, scheduled for October 9–13. Qualifying matches for the next men's World Cup do not begin until 2029.
FIFA had previously set a November 18 deadline for candidates to enter the presidential race, four months before the vote of 211 member associations in Rabat, Morocco. Infantino was almost certain to be re-elected for a fourth and final term through 2031 before his investment plan sparked the crisis.
UEFA's 55 member associations are attending the meeting in Monaco four weeks after they unanimously agreed during an online call to support the boycott threat.
