UEFA set to end boycott of FIFA events over Infantino’s failed selloff

What the report says

UEFA is expected to formally drop its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that Gianni Infantino’s abandoned plan to create a private, investor-backed commercial arm will not be revived, according to Al Jazeera’s report citing the Associated Press. The decision is due to be discussed by UEFA’s member federations in Monaco, where they were meeting ahead of the Champions League draw.

The move would remove the risk of a European boycott affecting FIFA tournaments already approaching on the calendar, including the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, which begins September 5. Several European teams — including France, Spain, England, Italy, Portugal and host Poland — are scheduled to take part, alongside teams such as the United States, Brazil and Argentina.

The backdrop is a dispute over Infantino’s proposal for a $20 billion subsidiary that would have controlled FIFA’s commercial rights, including the World Cup. The plan triggered a strong backlash from UEFA and other regional bodies before being withdrawn within days. UEFA had said it wanted guarantees that the idea would not return in another form, and Al Jazeera reported that those assurances have now been received.

The report adds that FIFA welcomed the expected end to the boycott threat, while tensions between Infantino and European football leaders remain part of a wider power struggle ahead of FIFA’s presidential election next year.