UEFA to End FIFA Tournament Boycott After Assurances

UEFA is preparing to call off its boycott of FIFA tournaments after receiving assurances that a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial and operational rights of the World Cup will not be revived. This decision follows a public dispute between UEFA and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, which began after the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plans emerged in July 2023.

UEFA's member associations had agreed to a ban on future FIFA contests during that month and maintained this stance despite FIFA retracting the proposal and issuing an apology for its "mistakes." A breakthrough in talks between UEFA and FIFA has led to the decision to abandon the boycott, with a meeting of UEFA's member associations scheduled for Thursday to formalize the end of their protest. This resolution will allow the six European-qualified teams, including hosts Poland, to participate in the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup later this year.

FIFA expressed its welcome for any resolution that ensures all qualifiers can participate.