England defender Lucy Bronze has become the first footballer from the nation to publicly back UEFA’s potential World Cup boycott if Gianni Infantino doesn’t leave FIFA.Daily Mail Sport reported on Thursday that UEFA would maintain its boycott of the competition until the controversial chief is removed from his position.European football’s governing body issued a statement reiterating that it had lost confidence in the FIFA president in the wake of his aborted World Cup sell-off.UEFA previously said that Infantino’s proposal would have to be withdrawn and that it would need assurances that such ‘attempts to disfigure the game this way will never be made again’ before it lifted its self-imposed ban.However, it is believed that – as things stand – anything less than Infantino’s head would not be enough to ensure the likes of champions Spain, England, France and Germany take part in four years’ time.And Bronze has spoken out in support of the movement, with the Women’s World Cup set to take place in Brazil next year. Lucy Bronze (left) has become the first England player to back UEFA’s World Cup boycott while Gianni Infantino (right) is in charge of FIFA Bronze said that a boycott ‘has to happen’ if it means doing the ‘right thing’ for football’The message that we stand by … is “for the good of the game”,’ England regular Bronze said via The Guardian. ‘The players who play in those competitions, the European players, we stand by our beliefs and what the right thing is for our game.’If that means boycotting competitions, then that has to happen. It’s for the future of the game and not just for me today and tomorrow, it’s for all the little girls or little boys who come after us to make sure that they’re in a good place, when the game is moving forward in decades to come, not just tomorrow.’The 2027 World Cup could be Bronze’s fourth, though there are currently doubts over whether that competition will go ahead.On Wednesday night, FIFA announced Infantino had the backing of members of the body’s council after crisis talks in Morocco.The beleaguered Swiss had summoned officials to his hotel as part of what appears to be, for now, a successful attempt to cling to power.He had faced a major backlash since plans to sell off stakes in the World Cup emerged but amid widespread outrage and opposition, those plans were dumped. Following the hotel summit FIFA issued a statement saying execs had given their ‘full support’ to Infantino while acknowledging ‘mistakes’ in the dropped plan.FIFA said they have now apologised in a letter to the various football associations and that a ‘review’ will be carried out. UEFA’s initial statement on Saturday had branded Infantino’s proposal to flog commercial and event operations as a ‘shabby, back room, opaque deal’.
UEFA repeated that it has lost confidence in FIFA president Gianni Infantino and reiterated its threat to boycott the World CupAfter Infantino’s apparent vote of confidence, they added: ‘UEFA’s associations were very clear about the conditions attached to their non participation in FIFA competitions.’First, the proposals to sell off the major competitions had to be withdrawn and secondly, assurances have to be made that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.’These conditions have not been met. In addition, UEFA made it abundantly clear in its statement on Saturday that it has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino’s presidency. That position holds.’Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favour) agree with him changes nothing.’