UEFA maintains World Cup boycott threat after Gianni Infantino’s crisis meeting

European soccer’s governing body has retained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions despite FIFA apologizing for its failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.

UEFA on Thursday reiterated that it had lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and said conditions to withdraw its boycott threat had not been met.

“UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to the non participation in FIFA competitions,” it said in a statement. “First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.

“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.”

It was another bruising day for Infantino, with global soccer players union FIFPRO accusing him of “a profound abuse of presidential power.”

The English Football Association has also withdrawn its support for Infantino’s re-election.

Even Amnesty International said the “current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms.”

FIFA and Infantino tried to present a united front following a high-level summit in Morocco on Wednesday when it announced the president had the full support of top staff in attendance.

The world governing body also apologized for errors made over its controversial plan to sell profits in the World Cup through a commercial subsidiary and committed to “ensure they do not happen again.”

FIFA said it hoped its meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s now abandoned project, which provoked widespread condemnation.

UEFA voted to abandon FIFA competitions if it went ahead. And even after Infantino’s hasty climbdown, Europe’s governing body said it had lost confidence in FIFA’s leadership — paving the way for a challenge to his presidency.

In its defiant statement, UEFA made it clear its position still held.

“Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA president (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday he no longer has confidence Infantino. Carney said Infantino committed a “fatal” governance failure by not consulting senior advisers, including FIFA’s chief operating officer and board members. 

Canada co-hosted the 2026 World Cup with the United States and Mexico, and Carney appeared alongside Infantino at several tournament events.

“I’ve run a few organizations in my time,” Carney said. “The idea that proper governance is not to disclose to your closest advisors, your chief operating officer, your fellow board members something of consequence that you’re even considering — let alone proposing — that should be fatal.

“Certainly I don’t have confidence in Mr. Infantino.”

Canada is part of the 41-member Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), which said its members have “deep concerns” about Infantino’s plan to sell World Cup profits and “the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies.”

Canada Soccer issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was aligned with both CONCACAF’s stance and Carney’s comments, and will review the matter at its board meeting next week. 

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer