UEFA Keeps World Cup Boycott Threat Alive Over Lack of FIFA Assurances

UEFA has decided to continue its boycott of the men's and women's World Cups despite FIFA dropping its plan to allow private investment in its competitions.

The European football body’s threat to stay away from FIFA tournaments, announced last Thursday, is believed to have played a major role in FIFA cancelling the proposal.

While withdrawing the investment plan was one of UEFA's demands, the organization said on Thursday that its other condition had still not been fulfilled.

"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 First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.” said the official UEFA statement.

"These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds." added the UEFA statement.

Although UEFA welcomed the decision to drop the plan last Saturday, it had criticized FIFA president Gianni Infantino over what it called a "shabby, backroom, opaque deal." Interestingly, UEFA maintained the same stance in its statement released on Thursday.

"UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino's presidency. That position holds," said the UEFA statement.

Gianni Infantino received some hope on Wednesday after senior FIFA officials met with him in Morocco during an emergency meeting.

Following the meeting, the officials publicly expressed their support for Infantino and admitted that mistakes had been made after the investment proposal was leaked to the media.

UEFA, however, rejected the statement of support. It also pointed to FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom, whose leaked email to staff on Tuesday had been critical of the proposal.

"Yesterday's announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing," said the UEFA statement.

For the unversed, FIFA recently introduced a proposal to create a new commercial company called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would manage tournaments such as the World Cup and Club World Cup. The governing body said the project could generate up to $4.2 billion, based on an estimated value of $20 billion.

However, the proposal faced strong criticism from around the world, forcing Infantino to withdraw the plan just a few days later.