UEFA: The boycott is still an option, an apology is not enough!
UEFA calls for withdrawal of proposals and guarantees after Gianni Infantino withdrew from the plan to privatize the World Cup.
UEFA left all options open, including a boycott of FIFA competitions, after Gianni Infantino withdrew the controversial proposal to introduce private investors into structures connected to the World Cup.
Infantino’s initiative — which, according to reports, included briefing investors on the ownership structures of the tournament — failed to calm the atmosphere, even though he backed down from the idea and appeared at a meeting in Morocco in the first days of August 2026.
What the associations demanded
After the meeting, UEFA published conditions which, according to its members, must be met to dismiss the threat of a boycott. The confederation stressed that it expects not only a formal withdrawal of the proposals, but also clear guarantees that similar attempts will not be repeated.
In its public stance, UEFA additionally pointed out that trust in FIFA’s leadership under Gianni Infantino is lacking and that statements by employees close to him do not change that assessment:
"The national member associations of UEFA were very clear about the conditions regarding their non-participation in FIFA competitions. First, the proposals to sell the sport’s biggest competition must be withdrawn, and second — guarantees must be given that such attempts to destroy the game will not be repeated. The conditions are not met. In addition, UEFA made crystal clear in its statement on Sunday that Gianni Infantino no longer has the necessary trust to lead FIFA. And that position has not changed. Yesterday’s statements by certain people employed at FIFA by Gianni Infantino (whose careers depend on his goodwill) only indicate that nothing has changed," UEFA said.
In practice, the threat of a boycott could have serious implications — from changing the conditions for upcoming major tournaments to putting pressure on FIFA’s management to provide concrete guarantees. For now, the European federations remain of the view that further agreement will not be given until the demands are met.
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