The administrative earthquakes shaking the corridors of FIFA have not stopped another national team from confirming its loyalty to the governing body's tournaments. It will take part, despite the boycott calls looming on the horizon.
Canada's Football Association confirmed as much in a key statement carried by Reuters, pressing ahead with their place at the Under-20 Women's World Cup scheduled for next month in Poland. Their position, they stressed, has not changed.
The Canadian stance joins those of France and New Zealand, the first associations to break the silence since the historic vote of UEFA's 55 members to unanimously support a boycott of FIFA events.
Crisis had erupted after a controversial proposal from FIFA president Gianni Infantino to separate the commercial rights of the World Cup and sell 20% of them to private investors for 4.2 billion dollars. He later backed away from the plan, but it had already lit the fuse on a crisis of confidence with the European body.
Poland, the host association, tried to spread reassurance. Preparations for the youth World Cup are in their final stages, they confirmed to Reuters, and they "has not received any information regarding the possible withdrawal of any team, and we believe the current situation will be resolved quickly".
The statement added: "For many of these young players, this tournament represents an important stage in their careers, and we are committed to delivering an event worthy of their talents".
UEFA renewed their boycott threat last week, declaring they had lost confidence in Infantino's leadership for failing to meet the conditions of reform. The United States, meanwhile, still look likely to feature in the 24-team tournament, though their association has stayed silent.
Women's tournaments are the first to feel the fallout from this open conflict. The football community now awaits the fate of the Under-17 girls' World Cup scheduled in Morocco in October, coinciding with the European teams contesting the qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.