Uefa set to drop Fifa tournament boycott threat

Uefa is expected to cease its threat of boycotting Fifa competitions after receiving assurances that there will be no recurrence of Gianni Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, according to BBC Sport. The issue will be addressed during a meeting of Uefa's executive committee in Monaco on Thursday.

Uefa had previously stated that despite Infantino's aborted plan, the conditions to prevent a boycott had not been met. Infantino assured national member associations that the proposal was "now off the table," and expressed regret for his mistakes. If the boycott threat is lifted, the upcoming Under-20 Women's World Cup will take place as scheduled, featuring six European teams.

Uefa has been leading the criticism against Infantino and is anticipated to continue advocating for reforms in Fifa's leadership. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin anticipates Infantino's resignation or a challenge to his position in March's elections. One source familiar with the discussions commented that Infantino's opponents "will continue until there are wholesale changes," emphasizing that it is not a Uefa defeat, but rather the reality of avoiding harming young players over a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Last month, European football's 55 member associations unanimously decided to boycott all Fifa competitions until the Fifa Forward Enterprises proposal was dropped, and binding assurances were given that Fifa would never again involve private ownership in its governance or competitions.