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

By The Associated Press. Published On 26 Aug 202626 Aug 2026.

Key points

• The next set of FIFA competition games in Europe after the under-20s event is qualifying playoffs for the 2027 Women's World Cup, scheduled for October 9-13.
• Ruling out a boycott will clear six European teams to continue preparing for the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup that kicks off September 5 in Poland.
• FIFA previously set a November 18 deadline for candidates to enter the presidential contest, four months ahead of the vote by 211 member federations in Rabat, Morocco.
• France and Spain named their squads last week for the 24-nation tournament that risked becoming an unwanted battleground in European football's pushback against Infantino's private investor plan.
• Infantino had seemed sure to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term in office through 2031 until the turmoil created by his investor plan.

European football body UEFA is due to formally withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that FIFA President Gianni Infantino's failed World Cup selloff plan will not be revived.

UEFA's member federations are session Thursday in Monaco ahead of the Champions League draw, where they are anticipated to end the boycott threat, a person familiar with the proposal informed The Associated Press news agency on Wednesday.

For context, the person spoke on condition of anonymity since the agenda of the closed-door gathering was confidential.

France and Spain named their squads last week for the 24-nation tournament that risked becoming an unwanted battleground in European football's pushback against Infantino's private investor plan. England, Italy, Portugal and host Poland additionally will play. The United States, Brazil and Argentina additionally are in the lineup.

FIFA welcomed the update from UEFA in an official note, adding it "strongly believes that football has the power to unite, even in challenging circumstances, and looks forward to welcoming all teams and players to Poland".

Infantino infuriated football leaders worldwide last month when his plan for a $20bn subsidiary controlling FIFA commercial rights – including the World Cup – was made public by British daily The Times.

In practice, the spinoff was to be 20 percent owned by investors led by a New York fund created by Joshua Kushner, whose initial funds was to pay offers of $20m to each of FIFA's 211 member federations. Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law. The FIFA member federations were given a mid-September deadline to accept.

FIFA President Infantino dropped his proposal within four days against the backdrop of a furious backlash led by UEFA, including the boycott threat, with backing from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). The furore was fuelled by criticism of the plan and of Infantino from senior FIFA authorities.

UEFA then remarked it wanted assurances the spinoff, to be called FIFA Forward Enterprise, would not be presented in a different form. That assurance was now received, the person informed the AP.

Meanwhile, the European football body remarked on August 1 that it had no confidence in Infantino's leadership in a clear signal that it would try to stop his re-election in March next year.

In practice, the next set of FIFA competition games in Europe after the under-20s event is qualifying playoffs for the 2027 Women's World Cup, scheduled for October 9-13. Qualifying games for the next men's World Cup do not start until 2029.

In practice, the 55 UEFA member federations are attending the session in Monaco four weeks after they united in an online call to agree to the threatened boycott.

Taken together, the developments around UEFA set to end boycott of FIFA events over Infantino's failed selloff point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.