UEFA says it will continue to boycott FIFA competitions for as long as Gianni Infantino remains president of world football’s governing body, despite his decision to abandon an initial proposal to privatise part of the World Cup.
European football’s governing body announced the position after Infantino revealed his commercial plans. The move prompted an international backlash over his role and future at the head of FIFA, although the Swiss remains convinced that he can continue in the position.
UEFA, however, says the issue has not been resolved. In a strongly worded statement, it reiterated that all FIFA tournaments would be boycotted while Infantino remains in charge of the global federation.
“The associations affiliated to UEFA have been very clear about the conditions linked to non-participation in FIFA competitions,” the statement said.
“Firstly, the proposals to privatise major competitions had to be withdrawn, and secondly, it had to be ensured that such attempts to disrupt football would never happen again. These conditions have not been met.”
UEFA’s position means the withdrawal of the privatisation proposals has not been accepted as sufficient to restore confidence. The organisation said that two separate requirements had been set by its affiliated associations: the commercial plans had to be removed, and FIFA had to provide assurances that similar efforts to disrupt football would not be repeated.
According to UEFA, neither condition has been fulfilled. As a result, the threat of non-participation in FIFA competitions remains in place.
In its statement on Saturday, UEFA also made clear that it no longer had confidence in Infantino’s presidency. It said that assessment had not changed.
The dispute follows Infantino’s original plans to commercialise part of the World Cup, which led UEFA to announce a boycott soon after the proposals were made public. The announcement sparked widespread international criticism of Infantino’s position, but he remains confident about his future as FIFA president.
UEFA’s latest statement confirms that its objection is not limited to the original proposal itself. The European governing body says its concerns also relate to what it regards as the risk of further attempts to disrupt football competitions.
For now, UEFA has therefore maintained its existing position: FIFA tournaments will not receive the participation of its affiliated associations while Infantino remains at the head of the organisation. The stance applies despite his withdrawal of the initial plan to privatise part of the World Cup, because UEFA says the wider conditions attached to ending the boycott have not been met.
