The China Mail - UEFA 'likely' to drop threat to boycott FIFA tournaments: source

Infantino, 56, has come under increasing pressure to step down as president over his now-abandoned plan to secure private investment in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

UEFA, led by their president Aleksander Ceferin, had described the proposal in scathing terms, labelling it a "shady, opaque backroom deal".

Despite Infantino withdrawing the plan only days after its launch, UEFA had said they were still not content and their threat to boycott FIFA events remained in place.

They said their demand that the plan be shelved had been met, but that they had not received assurances "that such attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again".

However, with UEFA's national associations meeting in Monaco on Thursday ahead of the draws for the Champions League and other club competitions, it appears that European football's governing body is happy the second one has been settled satisfactorily.

"Yes it is likely," the source told AFP on Wednesday, regarding the possibility of dropping the boycott threat.

"I think the reassurance we sought has been received so it fulfils the second of the two criteria we set."

A second source told AFP that the boycott threat -- which had been seen as pivotal in forcing Infantino's humiliating U-turn -- had to be dealt with urgently given that the Under-20 Women's World Cup is being held in Poland from September 5 to 27.

That is of particular importance given the potential for it to undermine UEFA's united front in wanting Infantino to quit.

Infantino is seeking a fourth and final term when FIFA holds its presidential election in the Moroccan capital Rabat next March.

Previously, he was likely to be unopposed, but since the private financing scandal, a raft of member associations have withdrawn their support for him.

Italy became the latest to do so earlier on Wednesday.

The deadline for candidates to declare is November 18.

Ceferin has confirmed that he will not stand, while CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is regarded as the likeliest challenger.

"It is 10 days until the start of the Under-20 Women's World Cup," said the second source.

"It is complicated to maintain a unanimous position among the 55 (UEFA members) in these circumstances.

"In fact, there is a real risk of splitting the anti-Infantino bloc."

A third source questioned whether the boycott threat was that effective.

"The initial boycott threats were not sufficient to force Infantino to leave," the third source said.

Of the upcoming tournament in Poland, the same source added: "It is not just about sparing the host country, but also because major European nations like France, England and Spain have already more or less confirmed they are taking part."

S.Davis--ThChM