UEFA is ending its boycott threat against FIFA, but make no mistake — this isn't a win for Gianni Infantino. If anything, the FIFA president is more isolated now than when this crisis began.
According to sources who spoke to Reuters, UEFA officials are heading into a Thursday meeting in Monaco to tell executive committee members and association presidents that the conditions for lifting the boycott have been met. FIFA withdrew its proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup and other major competitions. UEFA wanted that withdrawal plus guarantees it won't be resurrected. They appear to have got both.
Italy pulls the rug
The timing of Italy's move is pointed. The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) formally withdrew its support for Infantino's candidacy in next March's FIFA presidential election, citing — with unusual directness — its alignment with UEFA and president Aleksander Ceferin "regarding the recent initiatives promoted by the FIFA president concerning the governance and development of international competitions."
That's diplomatic language for: we don't trust what he's been trying to do.
Italy joining the chorus matters. This isn't just the usual UEFA bloc digging in. The opposition to Infantino now spans UEFA's 55 member associations, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF. Three confederations are actively discussing a vote of no confidence in a man who is planning to run for a fourth term.
Infantino still has Africa and South America behind him, and he's been working to bypass the confederations entirely — appealing directly to individual member federations. It's a strategy that might just keep him in office. FIFA's electoral math has historically favoured the federations he's courting.
What actually gets resolved here
The immediate flashpoint was the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, set to kick off on September 5. Young players preparing for what may be the biggest tournament of their careers were caught in the crossfire of a boardroom power struggle. As one source put it: "It's not a UEFA defeat, rather the reality of avoiding hurting young players' once in a lifetime opportunity."
That framing is honest. UEFA blinked — but they blinked for a defensible reason, and the source was clear that "the actions and insistence on change will continue."
- FIFA's stake-sale proposal has been formally withdrawn
- UEFA has received assurances the plan will not be revived
- Italy has withdrawn support for Infantino's 2025 re-election bid
- Three confederations — UEFA, AFC, CONCACAF — are pressing for reform or resignation
- A vote of no confidence remains under active discussion
The boycott threat is over. The war over who runs world football is not.
