UEFA maintain World Cup boycott threat despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino apology

This defiant stance comes despite a public apology from FIFA and Infantino for the controversial proposal to sell off stakes in the tournament to private investors. FIFA and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom released a joint statement on Wednesday evening admitting that the process behind the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project was flawed. "We acknowledge mistakes were made in the process of the proposed establishment of FFE," the letter stated. "It was certainly not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and it should have been handled differently."

Despite the attempt to bury the hatchet, UEFA members said on Thursday that their conditions for returning to the fold have not been satisfied. "UEFA's associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non-participation in FIFA competitions," UEFA said in a statement, as per BBC. "First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again."

The statement continued by highlighting a total breakdown in diplomatic relations: "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."

While UEFA continues its boycott threat, Infantino has managed to maintain a grip on his office for now. During the talks in Rabat, FIFA Management Board reaffirmed their full support for the president, aiming to present a united front. The official communique noted: "For the avoidance of doubt, the FIFA Secretary General and the Management Board in attendance reaffirm their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations."

The fallout from the FFE project has reached beyond the corridors of power, with legendary figures like Luis Figo calling for the president's resignation. If the boycott remains in place, the 2027 Women’s World Cup could be thrown into total disarray. UEFA has previously argued that football’s future cannot be dictated by the expectations of those seeking financial return.