FIFPRO Condemns Infantino as UEFA Maintains FIFA Boycott
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- FIFPRO issued a damning statement condemning the 'abuse of presidential power' behind the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan, demanding legally-binding engagement with footballers, voting rights on the FIFA Council, and structural reforms to prevent unilateral decisions by any individual.
- UEFA confirmed its boycott of FIFA competitions remains active, stating both conditions for ending it — withdrawal of the sale proposals and assurances they will never recur — remain unmet, and that FIFA's management board reaffirming 'full support' for Infantino 'changes nothing.'
- The Football Association formally withdrew its support for Infantino's re-election as FIFA president, with the presidential vote scheduled for March 2027.
- FIFA's management board gave Infantino 'full support' on Wednesday despite the FFE plan being withdrawn on August 1, and publicly threatened to 'no longer tolerate any attacks on its integrity' in a statement that also promised an internal review reported to the FIFA Council.
- Arsene Wenger publicly distanced himself from the proposals while Infantino's senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro resigned on July 31, calling the plans a 'bad deal' and 'irresponsible.'
- UEFA's boycott faces its first test at next month's FIFA U20 Women's World Cup, where England competes, followed by the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup play-offs in October involving England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Why it matters: The players' union joining UEFA and the FA creates pressure on Infantino from across the football ecosystem ahead of the March 2027 presidential vote, while the boycott's first concrete collision with the calendar arrives at next month's U20 Women's World Cup involving England.
