UEFA is set to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that Gianni Infantino's controversial plan to sell stakes in major FIFA events, including the World Cup, will not be revived.
The development comes just weeks after UEFA and all 55 of its member associations unanimously rejected FIFA's proposed private-investment plan and threatened to boycott FIFA-sanctioned tournaments if the proposal went ahead.
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UEFA Set To End Boycott Threat
According to reports, UEFA members are expected to formally lift the boycott threat at a meeting in Monaco on Thursday, ahead of the UEFA Champions League league-phase draw.
The decision follows assurances from FIFA that the controversial proposal will not be brought back.
The move would allow European teams to take part in upcoming FIFA competitions, including the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, which begins on September 5.
The boycott threat had created the possibility of a major confrontation between the two most powerful bodies in world football.
What Was Infantino's World Cup Plan?
The dispute began after Infantino backed a proposal to create a commercial entity known as FIFA Forward Enterprises and bring in private investors.
The plan reportedly involved selling more than 20% of the new venture and raising around $4.2 billion.
UEFA strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that football's most important competitions should not be treated as financial assets without greater transparency and consultation with the game's stakeholders.
Infantino eventually shelved the plan amid widespread opposition.
UEFA, however, initially maintained that simply abandoning the proposal was not enough. The organisation wanted guarantees that similar attempts to bring private ownership into FIFA competitions would not happen again.
Pressure On Infantino Remains
Although the boycott dispute appears to be moving towards a resolution, UEFA's wider concerns about Infantino's leadership remain.
UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has publicly criticised the abandoned plan and said he has lost confidence in the FIFA president. Čeferin has also ruled out challenging Infantino himself in FIFA's 2027 presidential election, although opposition to Infantino's leadership continues to grow.
Italy has also withdrawn its support for Infantino's re-election, while UEFA and other confederations continue to push for changes to FIFA's governance.
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A Temporary Truce Between UEFA And FIFA?
The expected withdrawal of the boycott threat represents a significant de-escalation in the dispute, but it does not mean UEFA and FIFA have completely settled their differences.
For now, European national teams will continue participating in FIFA competitions, while UEFA's focus is likely to remain on governance reforms and ensuring that FIFA's commercial decisions are made transparently.
The immediate threat of a boycott may be disappearing, but the political battle over the future direction of world football is far from over.