European teams may still boycott major competitions, including the World Cup, as Uefa insists that Fifa's backing of its president Gianni Infantino "changes nothing". This follows Infantino's aborted plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, which sparked widespread criticism.

The English FA has formally withdrawn its support for Infantino in response to the privatization proposal. Uefa stated that its conditions had not been met despite the plan being abandoned, emphasizing two key demands: the withdrawal of proposals to sell off major competitions and assurances that such attempts to alter the game would never recur.

Uefa has expressed a loss of confidence in Infantino, describing the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal as a "shabby, back room, opaque deal." However, other football bodies, including Conmebol (South American confederation), the Confederation of African Football (Caf), and the football associations of World Cup co-hosts Mexico and runners-up Argentina, have publicly backed Infantino.

During a meeting on Wednesday, Fifa acknowledged "mistakes" regarding the FFE proposal and stated it was not the intention for the Fifa Council and member associations to feel excluded from the process, admitting it should have been handled differently.

After the meeting, Infantino and his deputy Grafstrom were seen together, smiling at a Women's Africa Cup of Nations match between Malawi and Zambia, suggesting a temporary easing of tensions.

Concacaf, overseeing football in North and Central America and the Caribbean, issued a statement after the proposal was aborted but stopped short of expressing a loss of confidence in Infantino.

The situation highlights ongoing divisions within global football governance, with Uefa calling for political leaders in the sport to ask the right questions and make the right decisions moving forward.

Sources