“The UEFA member associations have been very clear about the conditions attached to their non-participation in FIFA competitions,” the European governing body said in a statement sent to AFP.
In addition to FIFA’s withdrawal of the proposal—one of its demands—UEFA said it also wants “assurances that such attempts to disfigure football in this way can never happen again.” “Those conditions have not been met,” UEFA said, reaffirming that it has “lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency.”
Read also : Infantino convenes emergency FIFA meeting in Morocco after FFE U-turn
The previous day, following a meeting of its senior officials in Rabat, FIFA acknowledged “mistakes” and offered “apologies” over its abandoned plan to create a commercial company open to outside investors.
At the same time, world football’s governing body expressed its “full support” for its president, describing him as the “only official elected by FIFA’s 211 member associations.”
Read also : CAF reaffirms support for Infantino
“Yesterday’s statement (from FIFA), coming from a handful of people employed by the FIFA president (whose careers depend on his favor) saying they agree with him changes nothing,” UEFA said in response.
Infantino, the only declared candidate for re-election in March 2027, has faced mounting criticism since unexpectedly announcing the proposal on Tuesday, July 28. The plan was ultimately withdrawn overnight between Friday and Saturday after strong opposition, notably from UEFA and CONCACAF (North America and the Caribbean).
