UEFA set to drop FIFA boycott threat as Italy withdraws support for Gianni Infantino

UEFA is set to drop its threat to boycott FIFA tournaments after receiving assurances that plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other major competitions will not be revived, sources aware of the discussions told Reuters on Wednesday, as Italy withdrew support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Italy became the latest national football federation to distance itself from Infantino, while European Leagues President Claudius Schaefer told The Athletic that the FIFA chief had no future at the organisation and that world soccer's governing body needed reform.

The move follows FIFA's decision in July to withdraw a proposal that triggered opposition from UEFA's 55 member associations, which agreed to boycott FIFA competitions after details of the plan emerged last



month.

UEFA's potential boycott has been brought into sharper focus with teams currently preparing for the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, which is due to begin on September 5.

UEFA officials are expected to tell the governing body's executive committee and the presidents of most of its member associations at a meeting in Monaco on Thursday that the conditions for lifting the boycott have been met, the sources said.

UEFA has sought both the withdrawal of the proposal and assurances that similar plans would not be pursued again.

"It's not a UEFA defeat, rather the reality of avoiding hurting young players' once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The actions and insistence on change will continue," a source familiar with the discussions told Reuters.