'Dad rang and I was like: What's happening?' - England U20s boss on Uefa threat

What the report says

England women’s Under-20 head coach Lydia Bedford says the Football Association has told her to keep preparations normal ahead of next month’s Under-20 Women’s World Cup, even as Uefa weighs a boycott linked to a dispute with Fifa. Bedford, speaking to BBC Sport in Portugal after England beat Portugal’s Under-20 side in a warm-up match, said the squad’s focus remains on training and selection rather than the wider political row.

The article says the dispute began after Fifa president Gianni Infantino was reported to be considering selling stakes in World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Uefa and its 55 member associations then threatened to boycott Fifa competitions, and BBC Sport reports that position still stands despite the abandonment of the related Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal earlier this month. The Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, scheduled for 5-27 September, is the first tournament that could be affected.

Bedford said she had not dwelt on the wider consequences and that the message from leadership was to proceed as normal while she prepares to name her squad next week. BBC Sport also reported that six European teams are due to take part and none had told hosts Poland they were withdrawing. Poland’s Weronika Arasniewicz told BBC Sport she did not want the tournament cancelled, while England’s Lucy Bronze has recently backed a boycott in principle. The issue matters because any walkout could affect players’ opportunities and the stability of women’s international football.