Uefa says boycott plan may still go ahead after Football Association withdraws support for Infantino

European football’s governing body Uefa said on Thursday that a boycott of Fifa events may still go ahead, even after the Football Association (FA) in England withdrew its backing for Fifa president Gianni Infantino. The development follows what Uefa described as a change in support among some football authorities ahead of a scheduled meeting on Wednesday.

In a statement reported by BBC Sport, Uefa said Fifa’s backing of Infantino at the Wednesday meeting “changes nothing” in terms of its position. Uefa did not indicate that the withdrawal of the FA’s support, or the Wednesday meeting outcome itself, would automatically resolve the dispute that has fueled calls for collective non-cooperation.

The BBC report framed the Uefa comments as a response to the FA’s decision to pull its support, which had been among the indicates that authorities were shifting their posture toward Fifa leadership. Uefa’s message suggested that the organization is still weighing, at minimum, whether conditions for engagement have been met.

Uefa’s stance matters because it comes in the context of growing tensions between European governing structures and Fifa over leadership and governance. While the BBC report did not outline new negotiating terms, Uefa’s characterization that Fifa backing of Infantino “changes nothing” indicates that Uefa is treating the dispute as unresolved, not merely a question of who publicly supported Infantino at a particular moment.

The BBC report also indicated that the FA’s change of support occurred separately from the Uefa position. Uefa’s response implies that even where national associations withdraw support for Infantino, the European body is not prepared to alter its operational approach without further developments that address the underlying concerns driving the boycott discussion.

Uefa’s comments were made in the lead-up to and following the Wednesday meeting referenced in the report. For supporters and stakeholders across domestic leagues, international tournaments, and club competitions, the practical impact depends on whether Uefa implements its boycott position and, if so, what matches, meetings, or Fifa-related events are affected.

If Uefa proceeds with a boycott, it would add further strain to football’s sport governance ecosystem by reducing coordination between regional authorities and Fifa. That could influence how quickly governance reforms, accountability steps, and leadership disputes are settled across multiple stakeholders, including national associations that must plan participation and compliance.

At the same time, the language used by Uefa, as reported by BBC Sport, suggested the boycott is conditional rather than confirmed as an immediate final decision. Further clarity would likely depend on additional statements from Uefa, Fifa, and the football associations that have shifted their support, including what changes, if any, follow the Wednesday meeting timeline described in the report.