UEFA may withdraw threat to boycott FIFA tournaments
UEFA may withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments, Deutsche Welle English reports, citing The Times, The Guardian and Reuters. According to these media outlets, UEFA may allow European teams to take part in the U20 Women’s World Cup, which Poland will host in September.
Guarantees regarding privatisation
As the media outlets write, the decision is linked to guarantees that UEFA allegedly received from FIFA. They concern the world football organisation not returning to its plan to sell a stake in FIFA tournaments to private investors.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino abandoned plans last month to create the commercial subsidiary FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) following widespread protest. UEFA led the opposition to this initiative and demanded assurances that similar attempts to change football would not be repeated. According to media reports, this demand was met.
It is also reported that UEFA is due to inform its executive committee and most of the presidents of its 55 national associations in Monaco on Thursday about the possibility of teams participating in the U20 tournament.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Possible legal action
The Guardian reported that FIFA and UEFA representatives held non-public talks for several weeks in an effort to avoid a boycott. A Reuters source familiar with the course of the discussions said that the decision is not a defeat for UEFA, but is intended not to deprive young female footballers of an important career opportunity. According to the source, the organisation will continue to seek changes.
At the same time, The Times writes that UEFA is considering other ways to increase pressure on Infantino. The publication cites a letter in which UEFA warns of possible legal action, arbitration and regulatory complaints in connection with the FFE plan, and also demands that related documents and electronic data be preserved.
The Polish Football Association said it continues to prepare for the competition as planned and seeks to provide the best possible conditions for participants. The tournament will open on 5 September with the Poland-Argentina match in Katowice. Infantino is expected to run for re-election as FIFA president next March; there are currently no other candidates. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin had previously said that he would not take part in the election.
