UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin did not attend the World Cup final between Argentina and Spain in protest against decisions made by FIFA. Ceferin, who had attended the tournament's opening match, chose to boycott the final match held in New Jersey due to a series of perceived missteps by the world football's governing body.
One significant point of contention for UEFA was the handling of a case involving United States striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun avoided a suspension following an intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump. UEFA criticized this decision at the time, labeling it "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable." In a statement, UEFA expressed concerns about the integrity of the game when the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by their administrators, suggesting that the competition's credibility was undermined.
Ceferin also opposes other initiatives championed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, such as the inclusion of half-time shows in major tournaments like the Champions League and the European Championship. These elaborate performances, which included artists like Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, extended the traditional halftime break to over 27 minutes during the World Cup. Furthermore, UEFA is reportedly against FIFA's proposed expansion to a 64-team World Cup format, a possibility that Infantino appeared to open during the tournament.
Disputes over refereeing and disciplinary protocols also contributed to the tension. Following the denial of entry to the U.S. for referee Omar Artan before the tournament, UEFA invited him to officiate the Super Cup. UEFA also instructed its VAR officials not to consider diving under a new mistaken identity protocol, a rule that FIFA employed during the World Cup. This led to incidents such as the controversial sending off of Switzerland striker Breel Embolo in a quarter-final match. Additionally, UEFA will not issue red cards to players who cover their mouths during confrontations with opponents, a rule change driven by Infantino intended to have a deterrent effect. This FIFA rule had previously resulted in red cards for players like Paraguay's Miguel Almiron and Ecuador's Piero Hincapie.
Controversy also extended to ticket pricing. UEFA plans to broadly freeze ticket prices for Euro 2028, contrasting sharply with the high costs at the World Cup. UEFA noted that supporters could purchase five tickets for the European championship at the price of a single parking space at a U.S. World Cup stadium.