Why women's football is first casualty of Fifa plans

What the report says

Former England defender Anita Asante has warned that women’s football could be among the biggest losers if Fifa president Gianni Infantino goes ahead with plans to sell minority stakes in a new commercial arm that would oversee major tournaments. In comments reported by BBC Sport Football, Asante said the move risks altering what she sees as the core purpose of the game and could leave women’s competitions most exposed.

The dispute escalated after Uefa’s 55 member associations voted to boycott all Fifa competitions until the proposal is withdrawn. The first major test could come at the Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, which is scheduled to begin on 5 September. The Polish Football Association said it had not been told of any team withdrawals and that preparations were continuing.

Asante also pointed to the busy women’s international calendar, including World Cup qualifying matches for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in October and the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco the same month. She argued that uncertainty around the plan could disrupt opportunities for players and tournaments already facing tight schedules.

BBC Sport reported that Fifa has said “nobody is selling football” and that its consultation process has been affected by inaccurate media coverage. Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have also voiced opposition or solidarity, while senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned, calling the proposal a poor deal for the sport.