English Premier League
Canada become third nation to defy proposed boycott of FIFA competitions
Canada will take part in next month’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland despite growing calls for a boycott of FIFA events, adding its name to France and New Zealand as the first countries to publicly reject the proposed action.
Canada Soccer confirmed in a statement reported by Reuters that its position had not changed and that the team would travel to Poland for the tournament.
The decision comes amid an escalating dispute between FIFA and UEFA, following a unanimous vote by UEFA’s 55 member associations to support a boycott of FIFA events. France and New Zealand had already declared that they would continue participating in the competitions, with Canada now becoming the third association to make its position clear.
The crisis began after FIFA president Gianni Infantino proposed separating the commercial rights to the World Cup and selling 20% of them to private investors for $4.2bn. Although Infantino later withdrew the proposal, it triggered a serious breakdown in trust between FIFA and UEFA.
UEFA renewed its threat to boycott FIFA competitions last week, saying it had lost confidence in Infantino’s leadership because the conditions it had set for reforms had not been met.
Poland, which is hosting the Under-20 tournament, has attempted to reassure the participating nations and supporters that preparations remain on schedule.
“We have not received any information about the possibility of any team withdrawing, and we believe that the current situation will be resolved quickly,” the Polish Football Association said in a statement to Reuters.
“For many of these young players, this tournament represents an important stage in their careers, and we are committed to providing an event worthy of their talents.”
The tournament is scheduled to feature 24 teams. The United States are still expected to participate, although their football association has not publicly commented on the dispute or confirmed its position.
Women’s competitions have emerged as the first major events potentially affected by the confrontation between FIFA and UEFA. Attention is also turning to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which is due to be held in Morocco in October.
At the same time, European national teams are preparing to begin qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. The timing of those fixtures has added to uncertainty over how far the disagreement between the governing bodies could spread and whether further national associations may be forced to choose between participation and solidarity with UEFA.
Canada’s decision does not resolve the wider dispute, but it provides a clear indication that the threatened boycott has not secured universal support among FIFA’s members. For now, the Under-20 Women’s World Cup remains on course to proceed in Poland, with the host association insisting that its preparations are in their final stages.