UEFA says the England boycott threat remains live after Gianni Infantino scrapped the private investment plan. The governing body says its conditions have still not been met, and it has also said confidence in Infantino’s presidency is gone. All 55 UEFA nations had already agreed unanimously to boycott future FIFA tournaments until the private equity plans were scrapped.
UEFA's conditions still stand
A UEFA spokesperson told express.co.uk: "UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions. First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn, and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again. These conditions have not been met."
The same statement added that UEFA "has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency" and that "That position holds." FIFA, for its part, issued an apology from Infantino and Mattias Grafstrom, admitting mistakes in the process and saying a review will be presented at the next scheduled FIFA Council meeting.
Burnham keeps the pressure on FIFA
Andy Burnham was just as blunt when speaking to standard.co.uk. "I do not believe that he is the right man to lead football forward on the world stage," he said of Infantino, while also saying the plan "was offensive to many people." He added that it makes you wonder whether the authorities at the European and global level have "something against us."
Burnham’s point lands against a decent football backdrop for England. They are top of Group L with 7 points from 3 matches and a +4 goal difference, so the UK is hardly being framed here as a marginal football market. The political anger comes from wider governance issues, not from any lack of relevance on the pitch.
The row is still alive because UEFA has tied its stance to more than the removal of one proposal. It wants the plan withdrawn and assurances that nothing like it will be tried again, while saying its loss of confidence in Infantino remains. That leaves the boycott threat unresolved, even after the U-turn.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
