GENEVA: European football governing body UEFA said its member associations will maintain their boycott of FIFA competitions despite FIFA President Gianni Infantino withdrawing his controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in the governing body’s commercial assets.
In a statement, UEFA said its 55 member associations remain committed to boycotting FIFA events, arguing that the world governing body has failed to meet the conditions they set for restoring cooperation.
Last week, UEFA members unanimously voted to withdraw from all FIFA competitions after Infantino announced plans to seek investors for minority stakes linked to the FIFA World Cup and other global tournaments.
Facing mounting pressure, Infantino later abandoned the proposal and secured backing from FIFA leadership during a meeting in Morocco.
However, UEFA said reversing the share-sale plan was only one of several conditions required to end the boycott.
The organization added that its broader demands regarding FIFA’s governance and future cooperation remain unresolved, and until those conditions are met, its member associations will continue to refrain from participating in FIFA competitions.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has received a major boost to his bid for a fourth term after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously endorsed his leadership.
The endorsement is considered a significant political victory for Infantino, as CAF’s 54 member associations represent one of FIFA’s largest voting blocs and could play a decisive role in the next presidential election.
Despite the backing from Africa, UEFA reiterated that it has no confidence in Infantino’s leadership. The European governing body said FIFA has failed to provide assurances that it will not pursue similar initiatives after withdrawing its controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup and other competitions.
FIFA has apologized to its 211 member associations over the handling of the proposed investment plan, acknowledging shortcomings in its decision-making process and pledging a comprehensive review of the matter.
More read, UEFA warns FIFA of possible lawsuit over abandoned investment plan
On the other hand, South America’s football confederation, also expressed concern over unilateral decision-making within FIFA and called for greater transparency and institutional reforms in the governance of world football.
