UEFA SET TO END FIFA BOYCOTT THREAT AHEAD OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW

European football’s governing body, UEFA, is expected to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to introduce private investment into the organisation’s major tournaments will not be revived.

The development comes as UEFA officials and representatives of its 55 member associations meet in Monaco on Thursday ahead of the Champions League draw. The boycott threat had emerged following strong opposition to Infantino’s proposal to establish a commercial subsidiary that would oversee FIFA’s major events, including the World Cup and Club World Cup.

The proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in a company responsible for FIFA’s commercial rights. UEFA strongly opposed the idea and warned that its national teams would not participate in FIFA competitions for as long as the proposal remained active.

FIFA eventually abandoned the plan within days after facing intense resistance from UEFA and other football stakeholders. However, UEFA subsequently demanded further assurances that the proposal would not return in another form, a condition it now believes has been satisfied.

The withdrawal of the boycott threat is expected to allow European teams to participate fully in upcoming FIFA competitions. Six European nations — England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and hosts Poland are scheduled to take part in the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, which begins in Poland on September 5.

Despite easing the immediate dispute, UEFA’s opposition to Infantino has not disappeared. The European body has continued to question his leadership and indicated that it wants changes to FIFA’s governance structure. UEFA’s position could also influence the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027, where Infantino is seeking another term.

The FIFA president had appeared set for a relatively straightforward re-election campaign before the controversy surrounding the proposed private-investment structure intensified criticism of his administration. UEFA announced earlier in August that it had lost confidence in his leadership.

Meanwhile, attention will shift to the Champions League, with the 36 participating clubs set to discover their league-phase opponents in Thursday’s draw.

Defending champions Paris Saint-Germain will begin their attempt to become the first club in the modern era to win the competition three consecutive times since Real Madrid achieved the feat between 2016 and 2018. The French club retained the trophy last season after defeating Arsenal on penalties in the final in Budapest.

The new Champions League format remains in place for the third consecutive season, with all 36 teams competing in a single league table. Each club will play eight league-phase matches against different opponents, with the campaign running until January.

The opening league-phase matches are scheduled for September 8–10, while the 2027 Champions League final will be staged at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.