UEFA is poised to abandon its threat to boycott FIFA competitions after receiving assurances that plans to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors will not be repeated. The matter is scheduled for discussion at a UEFA executive committee meeting in Monaco on Thursday.

Earlier this month, UEFA stated that the conditions necessary to prevent a boycott had not been met, despite the abandonment of FIFA President Gianni Infantino's proposal following widespread criticism. UEFA had insisted on guarantees that such attempts to commercialize the game would not occur again.

If the boycott threat is withdrawn, the Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland, set to begin next month, will proceed as planned. Six European nations—England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and hosts Poland—are slated to participate in the tournament.

Sources close to the discussions described the move not as a concession but as a strategic decision to avoid penalizing young athletes. "This isn't a climbdown," one source said, adding that opponents of Infantino's initiatives "will continue until there are wholesale changes." They further emphasized, "It is not a UEFA defeat, rather the reality of avoiding hurting young players [over a] once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." The source concluded, "The actions and insistence on change will continue and will win out in the end."

Last month, all 55 of UEFA's member associations voted to boycott all FIFA competitions. This action was contingent on the FIFA Forward Enterprises proposal being dropped entirely and binding assurances being provided that FIFA would not permit private ownership of its governance or competitions.

U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy expressed her opposition to a boycott earlier this month. "I am not generally in favour of sporting boycotts full stop, because I think they divide people from one another," she stated. "I think they unfairly penalise athletes and competitors who are not responsible for the reason that these boycotts take place." Nandy advocated for unity within football, a change in leadership and direction, and a clear message that the sport belongs to its fans. "What I would like to see actually is football coming together, resolving this, a change of leadership, a change of direction and a very clear message that football belongs to its fans and it will not have women and girls penalised when the women's game is going from strength to strength. And our Lionesses are leading the world in that."

FIFA has been approached for comment.