UEFA is expected to withdraw its threat to boycott FIFA competitions ahead of Thursday’s Champions League draw in Monaco, following assurances over the abandoned proposal to introduce private investment into the World Cup and other major tournaments.
The dispute began in late July when FIFA, led by president Gianni Infantino, revealed plans to create a commercial subsidiary responsible for managing events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
Under the FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative, private investors would have been permitted to acquire stakes in the new company.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin strongly opposed the proposal, describing it as a “shady, opaque backroom deal”. The European governing body warned that its national teams would refuse to participate in FIFA competitions while the plans remained active.
That threat was widely viewed as a decisive factor in FIFA shelving the controversial proposal.
However, UEFA executives and representatives from its member associations are due to meet in Monaco before the Champions League draw. Sources have indicated that the boycott threat is now likely to be withdrawn.
UEFA had demanded that FIFA abandon the proposal and provide assurances that similar attempts to reshape the organisation’s major competitions would not be made again. A source said UEFA was satisfied that the second condition had now been met.
Withdrawing the threat would also help UEFA maintain unity in its opposition to Infantino. A boycott could have weakened that position if some European associations refused to support it.
The Under-20 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to take place in Poland next month, while European qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil remains underway.
Attention will turn back to club football on Thursday as Europe’s leading teams discover their opponents for the Champions League league phase.
Paris Saint-Germain will begin their pursuit of a third consecutive European title after defeating Arsenal on penalties in last season’s final in Budapest.
Real Madrid’s team between 2016 and 2018 remains the only side in the past 50 years to win the competition in three successive seasons.
“We have won the last two, which means we can win a third. It will be very hard, but that is our ambition,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said earlier this month.
This will be the third Champions League campaign played under the expanded format. The competition features 36 clubs in a single league table, with every team facing eight different opponents.
Europe’s wealthiest clubs are once again expected to dominate, with half of the participating teams coming from England, Spain, Italy and Germany.
The Premier League will have five representatives: Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Spain will also be represented by five clubs, including Real Betis, who return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence.
Como will make their competition debut after disrupting Italy’s traditional hierarchy under former Arsenal, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Azerbaijani side Sabah will also appear in the Champions League for the first time. They entered during the opening qualifying round and won four ties to secure their place.
Austria’s LASK are another debutant after completing a remarkable comeback against Celtic in the play-offs.
The opening round of league-phase fixtures will be played from Tuesday, September 8 to Thursday, September 10.
The league phase will conclude in late January, with the final scheduled for June 5, 2027, at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid.
