Poland says it remains on track to host next month’s FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, which is set to become the first FIFA tournament held during the ongoing backlash against president Gianni Infantino.
Preparations continue despite FIFA dispute
- The competition will be FIFA’s first since UEFA’s 55 national associations unanimously backed a boycott of FIFA events. The move followed Infantino’s proposal, later withdrawn, to transfer 20% of the World Cup’s commercial rights to private investors in an effort to generate around $4.2 billion.
- That proposal sparked a major dispute over football governance.
- The Polish Football Association said preparations had reached their final phase and were advancing according to the established timetable. It added that it had received no notification that any team planned to pull out and expressed confidence that the dispute would be settled quickly.
- Poland also stressed the importance of the tournament to the players involved, describing it as a major step in many of their careers and promising to stage an event that reflected their ability and dedication.
The tournament is scheduled to run in Poland from September 5 to 27. New Zealand has confirmed that it will take part, joining France in declaring its intention to compete.
New Zealand Football said its under-20 team would travel to Poland and described the tournament as vital to the continued growth of the women’s game.
France was the first of the 24 competing nations to publicly confirm its participation, saying that it currently planned to enter the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.
The Football Association of England and Canada Soccer declined to offer a comment at this stage. The United States is expected to participate, although the U.S. Soccer Federation also chose not to comment.
UEFA maintains boycott position
- UEFA reinforced its threat to boycott FIFA competitions last week, insisting that its member associations had clearly set out the requirements linked to any decision not to participate.
- The European governing body said those requirements had not been satisfied. It also referred to its July 30 statement, in which it said confidence in Infantino’s presidency had been lost, and confirmed that its position remained unchanged.
- Weekend discussions between the confederations reportedly included recognition that negotiations over alternative competitions could eventually become necessary.
- Those negotiations have not begun, however, and there remains hope that they will not be required.
Further tournaments at risk
Women’s football would likely be the first part of the international game to suffer serious consequences if the dispute intensifies.
FIFA’s Under-17 Women’s World Cup is due to take place in Morocco in October. European teams, including England, who finished as runners-up at the last World Cup, also have qualifying fixtures scheduled for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
