UEFA is set to formally lift its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that FIFA will not revive plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other major tournaments. UEFA officials are expected to inform their executive committee and member association presidents at a meeting in Monaco on August 27 that the conditions for ending the boycott have been met [1, 2, 3].

The boycott threat arose in July when FIFA proposed creating a commercial subsidiary that would allow private investors to buy stakes in top FIFA competitions. The proposal faced strong opposition from UEFA and its 55 member associations, who saw it as risking the integrity of the game [1, 2, 3].

In response to the backlash, FIFA officially withdrew the controversial proposal on August 26, removing the primary cause of the boycott threat [1, 2, 3]. UEFA sought both the withdrawal and guarantees that similar plans would not be pursued again [1, 2, 3].

Italy’s football federation announced on August 26 that it was withdrawing support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the March 2027 presidential election. Italy became the latest major national federation to distance itself from Infantino [1, 2]. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin condemned Infantino’s plan as a "shadowy backroom deal," criticizing the commercial proposal sharply [3].

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed that all qualified teams will participate in the upcoming FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland— the first major tournament that could have been affected by UEFA’s boycott threat. The spokesperson said FIFA "strongly believes that football has the power to unite, even in challenging circumstances, and looks forward to welcoming all teams and players to Poland" [1, 2].

An unnamed source familiar with the discussions said the decision to lift the boycott is not a defeat for UEFA but reflects "the reality of avoiding hurting young players’ once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" while pledging continued efforts for change [1].

The FIFA presidential election remains scheduled for March 2027, with Italy’s withdrawal from supporting Infantino injecting uncertainty into his bid [1, 2].

UEFA’s official announcement at its Monaco meeting today will confirm the end of the boycott threat and clear the way for full UEFA participation in FIFA tournaments in the near term [1, 2, 3].