Gianni Infantino: Can Fifa president survive after Uefa threatens World Cup boycott?
UEFA has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if FIFA proceeds with a plan to sell a 20% stake in its competition-running subsidiary to private investors. The dispute creates significant uncertainty for upcoming tournaments, including the Women's World Cup play-offs.
Why it matters
This conflict represents a major power struggle in global sports governance, potentially disrupting the structure of international football.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin (left) has been firmly against many changes driven by Fifa counterpart Gianni Infantino (right)
Chief football news reporter Published 30 July 2026 Updated 4 hours ago The bombshell statement landed at 16:00 BST on Thursday, 30 July.
In terms of impact, European football's governing body Uefa could not have gone any bigger.
"Uefa and its national associations will not participate in Fifa competitions," it said.
Eleven brutal words. The definitive reaction to Fifa president Gianni Infantino's plan to sell a 20% stake in a subsidiary company set up to run the world governing body's competitions, including the World Cup.
A company it is intended Fifa will run but that will be part-funded by private investors, including the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Joshua Kushner.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in