Uefa set to drop Fifa boycott threat after assurances

European football's governing body, Uefa, is set to withdraw its threat of boycotting Fifa competitions, following assurances that there will be no repeat of Gianni Infantino's controversial proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, BBC Sport has been told.

The matter will be discussed at a meeting of Uefa's executive committee in Monaco on Thursday. Earlier this month, Uefa had stated that despite Infantino's plan being abandoned after widespread condemnation, the conditions required to prevent a boycott had "not been met".

"Assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again," Uefa insisted at the time.

Background to the dispute

The conflict began when Fifa proposed the creation of Fifa Forward Enterprises, a commercial vehicle that would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in the World Cup and other tournaments. The plan was met with fierce opposition from European football associations, who viewed it as a threat to the sport's governance and integrity.

Last month, all 55 Uefa member associations voted to boycott Fifa competitions unless the proposal was dropped "in its entirety" and binding assurances were given that Fifa would never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.

Fifa has been approached for comment on the latest developments.

Impact on the Under-20 Women's World Cup

If the boycott threat is lifted, next month's Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland will proceed as planned. Six European teams—England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and hosts Poland—are scheduled to participate in the tournament.

One source close to the discussions downplayed the notion that Uefa was backing down. "This isn't a climbdown," the source said, adding that Infantino's opponents "will continue until there are wholesale changes."

"It is not a Uefa defeat, rather the reality of avoiding hurting young players [over a] once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," they added. "The actions and insistence on change will continue and will win out in the end."

Political and public reaction

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy had previously expressed opposition to a boycott of the U20 World Cup. "I am not generally in favour of sporting boycotts full stop, because I think they divide people from one another. I think they unfairly penalise athletes and competitors who are not responsible for the reason that these boycotts take place," she said.

"What I would like to see actually is football coming together, resolving this, a change of leadership, a change of direction and a very clear message that football belongs to its fans and it will not have women and girls penalised when the women's game is going from strength to strength. And our Lionesses are leading the world in that."

The expected decision to lift the boycott threat marks a significant step in easing tensions between Uefa and Fifa, though sources indicate that the push for governance reform will continue.