UEFA has come close to ending its boycott of FIFA tournaments after securing a commitment not to revive the plan to sell shares in World Cup competitions.
The 55 national federations belonging to UEFA had previously announced their refusal to participate in FIFA competitions until receiving binding guarantees that FIFA's administration or its tournaments would not be opened again to private ownership.
According to The Telegraph, FIFA provided UEFA with such a commitment ahead of a scheduled meeting on Thursday between UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and the heads of national federations in Monaco, coinciding with the Champions League draw.
Ending the boycott would allow the England women's under-20 team to participate in the World Cup scheduled to take place in Poland next week, and would also enable the senior men's team to play their match against Greece in the World Cup qualifiers next October.
Gianni Infantino had announced on August 1 the cancellation of the plan to sell shares in the World Cup, which included a proposal involving private-sector investors, including individuals linked to former US President Donald Trump, sparking one of the biggest crises during his presidency at FIFA.
Despite the cancellation of the plan, UEFA refused to lift the boycott, stating in a press release issued on August 6 that European federations conditioned their participation on the withdrawal of proposals to sell major tournaments, along with guarantees that similar attempts would not be repeated in the future.
Lifting the boycott does not mean abandoning efforts aimed at removing Infantino from power, as the English Football Association, Čeferin, and other officials continue exploring possibilities to rally support for a vote of no confidence against the FIFA president or to promote a rival candidate in the presidential elections scheduled for next March.
Furthermore, according to the newspaper, UEFA is considering taking legal or regulatory action against Infantino in the United States and Switzerland over the share-selling plan for FIFA tournaments, after having previously warned him against destroying any materials related to the project.
UEFA had also contacted Infantino's partners, including Joshua Kushner and Greg Maffei, informing them that it is seriously considering pursuing litigation, arbitration, or filing regulatory complaints regarding the project.
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